I have a hive started from a nuc in May, now in a double 10 frame deep. Queen right. I'm noticing that it is extremely light in honey compared to my other hives. Seems to have a good amount of bees compared to other hives. I am currently feeding 1:1 as there is a bit of a dirth right now but should I increase that to 2:1 in hopes the store it?
I would. Up there you probably don't have a fall flow. Just make sure their not being robbed.
Dearth? I think you are mistaking. You could be screwing up your hives with feed ... just guessing.
Quote from: Acebird on July 31, 2016, 09:00:25 PM
Dearth? I think you are mistaking. You could be screwing up your hives with feed ... just guessing.
Help enlighten me on how this will screw up the hive? Asking because that what was recommend to me by several experienced bee keepers in my club. I also can't imagine not feeding a hive that has almost no honey in it this time of year but then again if I knew for sure I wouldn't be asking :)
Rusty, You're right. I would feed if they were mine. What ratio? I'm not sure because of where you're located at. Cause and effect; you said they had more bees and fewer stores compared to other hives. It takes a lot to feed a new batch of larva so that may account for the stores.
Quote from: GSF on August 01, 2016, 08:11:41 AM
It takes a lot to feed a new batch of larva so that may account for the stores.
If the lack of stores was due to a dearth all his hives would be low on stores not just one. Feeding in the summer in Upstate NY is nuts. We are experiencing the warmest temperatures with lots of rainfall. What exactly would be causing this dearth?
The hive could have swarmed, the hive could have over expanded because feed was involved., the hive could be infested with mites and the colony burned through it's stores trying to keep up with the loses. IMO it is very unlikely a dearth was involved and feeding will not solve the problem if there is one.
Quote from: RustyUPNY on July 31, 2016, 06:37:45 PM
I have a hive started from a nuc in May, now in a double 10 frame deep. Queen right. I'm noticing that it is extremely light in honey compared to my other hives. Seems to have a good amount of bees compared to other hives. I am currently feeding 1:1 as there is a bit of a dirth right now but should I increase that to 2:1 in hopes the store it?
Keep feeding, I'd go to 2:1 though. They'll store it or use it if they need it. 2:1 lets them catch up with "honey" reserves more quickly. Several experienced beekeepers from your own club? Focus on feedback from those who've already proven they know how to keep bees locally.
I would go with the references of your vicinity beekeepers. you all have had a lot of rain . that would keep your bees from foraging for necter. I had had that happen one year when we had tons of rain. had to use stored frames to keep hives up. but do get input form as may beekeepers in your area. and go that information.
john
Rusty,
I have the same problem with several of my 2016 packages. High population, low reserves.
I'm not so sure it's dearth, it might be a large population eating the reserves faster than they can harvest.
I have read that Italians don't regulate their population as well as other types of bees.
I'm feeding those hives about a gallon of 1:1 per week. I have been considering switching to 2:1 hoping it will be less work on me. Right we are preparing for winter and I want to build up the stores. If I were you I would follow the advice of the local beeks in your area. Since your population is so high I doubt they have swarmed or are unhealthy.
I'm in SE Indiana so things may be different.
How many hives do you have?
Are they all poor for honey or are some doing OK?
If they are the only hive struggling then why? Are they just poor scroungers of nectar as the population is good, don't work hard enough.
AS they are a new nuc they don't have any performance record so they may not be good workers.
You could transfer honey from better hives to provide a reserve.
What does the brood nest look like? If both deeps are full of bees and brood it might be that they need more room to even store honey. How many empty frames are there?
Quote from: Acebird on August 01, 2016, 09:01:20 AM
We are experiencing the warmest temperatures with lots of rainfall.
I live about 10 miles south of Norwich. We have had a lot of rain in the past two days but not a lot before that. In western New Yuck from my understanding they have not had much rain at all. Just the difference between my home and where I work there has been a lot less rain in Binghamton than there has been in Guilford. For that matter, I worked in Norwich one day and my wife came to lunch with me and it poured in Norwich and only sprinkled a little bit in Guilford. I can't speak for the flow in Rochester but I can say that you don't have to go very far to see large differences in rain fall.
With no storage I would feed. In the spring of 2012 where I lived in central New England. In May of that year bees were starving from no storage. Do to no honey flow. A lot of beekeepers lost and bees because I thought everything looked alright outside. Which it did Green Lush and growing the problem was too many showers. And not enough time for bees to collect nectar between showers even though it was warm. A lot of nectar got washed on the ground because of this. Many colonies died from starvation. Another thing to remember no rain no honey flow.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :smile:
I live just east of Buffalo and until a good rain last week we have had very little rain. The lawn is a straw field that literally crunches under your feet.
I have been feeding my new NUC 1/2:1 for a while now but with just 2 medium boxes drawn so far, I plan to start 1:1 or 2:1 so the girls have time to get a third box ready for winter.