Poorly chicken

[hilda-and-evadne]

As some of you may remember, my first hive swarmed at least once this summer, and it now houses quite a small - but apparently healthy - colony. They have filled 8.5 frames of the super with honey and drawn out most of the frames in the upper super.

 

Could I take say two frames of honey for me? Last year I had to leave the bees with all their honey because it was my first year of bee-keeping, and I got my bees so late in the year. Seems a bit sad to have to miss a second summer of honey from my own bees.

 

The second hive - created from a nucleus swarm - is still very small. I will start feeding this hive next week.

 

Thanks for any comments.

[Old Speckled Hen]

I would take as much as is capped and leave the rest for the bees and feed 2:1 sugar syrup.

When are you treating for varroa?

I intend to clear the supers in the next day or two, put on thymovar or Apilife and feed at the same time.

I'll put the uncapped frames in the freezer till treatment is finished then the bees can have it back.

[hilda-and-evadne]

I would take as much as is capped and leave the rest for the bees and feed 2:1 sugar syrup.

 

Thank you.

 

When are you treating for varroa?

 

Not yet started but I have the Apilife trays bought in all ready.

 

I intend to clear the supers in the next day or two, put on thymovar or Apilife and feed at the same time. I'll put the uncapped frames in the freezer till treatment is finished then the bees can have it back.

 

That's interesting. Doesn't that mean that the bees won't have the uncapped frames back until sometime in October? Is that OK for them? I mean, can they do without the honey on those frames until then?

[Old Speckled Hen]

 

I intend to clear the supers in the next day or two, put on thymovar or Apilife and feed at the same time. I'll put the uncapped frames in the freezer till treatment is finished then the bees can have it back.

 

That's interesting. Doesn't that mean that the bees won't have the uncapped frames back until sometime in October? Is that OK for them? I mean, can they do without the honey on those frames until then?

 

Well, look in the brood nest and see how much is in there already and is there nectar still coming in?

Mine have little which is why I'm feeding 2:1. Though there is plenty of balsam here the weather is mostly rainy.

[Old Speckled Hen]

PS

 

Check through the box and see roughly how much stores they have and add up how many full frames that makes.

 

A National brood frame holds around 3Kg of honey and a colony needs something in the order of 20Kg to overwinter

 

Last year I weighed my hives regularly through the winter so that I could add fondant if needed.

You can do this with a cheap luggage scale quite easily.

They did OK and I actually had to remove frames in the spring.

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