I installed a package of bees today. This new hive is next to my 2 other hives that are looking very strong.
I am only feeding sugar syrup to this new package and not to my other hives and I was wondering if those established hives might try to rob out the new package?? I have the entrance reducer set to the smallest setting, but is that enough?
The other hives are keeping very busy bringing in pollen and are shooting out like crazy. I do not believe we are into the mighty nectar flow as yet, but they are bringing in some nectar which I have found in the cells. Will this be enough to keep them from robbing my new package??
Wondering and hoping things will be ok
annette
I would feed them all just in case. It's cheap insurance against robbing. Actually you probably have enough blooming to NOT feed them all and let the package forage. Here, that wouldn't work now as nothing is blooming yet except a few crocuses...
I thought the package needed to be fed in order for them to draw out the wax combs??? I may just feed them for a couple of weeks. There really is so much blooming right now. All the orchards are in blooom and shrubs, trees, wildflowers etc.
Maybe feed them for a couple of days, not a couple weeks. If you've got bloom, they'll do fine :)
Even a package can go without sugar syrup????? Excuse my surprise, but I just never heard anything like this before.
Even if we are not into the major flow yet??
I would offer feed to a package until they stop taking it or you visually see first hand they have enough food stores.
At some point they should stop taking feed in a good flow, but you need them to build up, so feed them.
...JP
My feelings are telling me that also.
Annette, a package has to start from scratch. They have a lot of work ahead of them. My opinion is to feed them to kick them into gear.
A swarm is better in most cases at building than a package, if genetics are good and the queen is not too old.
A nuc is a great way to go and you should get honey the first season from a strong nuc, of course if resources are good.
...JP
>I thought the package needed to be fed in order for them to draw out the wax combs???
Swarms are in the same shape. You're well into the nectar season there. Swarms build up a hive from nothing but nectar. The problem is IF you want to feed them you should feed them all so they don't start robbing. If you incite robbing by feeding them you will have done them no favors.
> I may just feed them for a couple of weeks. There really is so much blooming right now. All the orchards are in blooom and shrubs, trees, wildflowers etc.
Then why feed them at all?
OK Michael,
I just gave them 4 gallons of sugar syrup in the top hive feeder. I think I will stop after this and see how they build up. I think we are definitely into the nectar flow. At first I thought we weren't, but when I went to check up on the hives today, I could see that the other hives are bringing in nectar.
Quote from: JP on April 13, 2009, 12:51:16 AM
Annette, a package has to start from scratch. They have a lot of work ahead of them. My opinion is to feed them to kick them into gear.
a swarm is better in most cases at building than a package, if genetics are good and the queen is not too old.
a nuc is a great way to go and you should get honey the first season from a strong nuc, of course if resources are good.
...JP
I have to admit to thinking the same thing JP. Why bother with package bees when a nucleus is so much further down the track. Sure there may be issues with not being able to ship a nuc from your favourite supplier but I would think that having a nuc so much more developed would outweigh the disadvantages. The other thing may be the cost comparison which I have no idea about in the US.
Mick
>Why bother with package bees when a nucleus is so much further down the track.
When you want natural comb or small cell or you have a top bar hive, that's a very good reason to use a package.
annette, i always feed swarms and packages for a few days. even a cutout most of the time, although hopefully they have some honey of their own that i can salvage. two reasons. 1. it helps anchor them to the new yard and 2. it takes them a bit to orient and find food sources. a couple of days should be fine if you have a good flow going on.
Quote from: Michael Bush on April 14, 2009, 08:56:02 PM
>Why bother with package bees when a nucleus is so much further down the track.
When you want natural comb or small cell or you have a top bar hive, that's a very good reason to use a package.
And I use only mediums and most nucs are full size frames. The cost is more also. Haven't looked into it this year, but previous years there was a big difference.
I am just going to have to go by what I feel is right for them when I inspect them. If they are building up really good, I will stop the feeding, but right now they are feeding.
Funny the original topic was about robbing and actually it never happened. The other hives are ignoring this package hive completely and not going in to rob their sugar syrup. They are totally focused on shooting out and foraging for nectar as far as I can see.
Hi Annette,
We are in a nectar flow, bees won't really start robbing when we in the spring nectar flows here. If it was me, I'd feed them until they get a box of comb drawn. If you put them on drawn comb, then feeding for 10 to 14 days would be good, by then the queen should be laying.