Indian Summer...stores consumption?

windfall · October 07, 2011, 10:14:49 AM

How fast do the bees run through stores when the weather is warm but no forage is available?

I got all of my hives where I thought(have been told) they should be for winter during the last 2 weeks of september...definitely required some feeding.

Now we have had a number of hard frosts and virtually all the forage is gone. The coming week is predicted to be sunny and mid 70's. I assume that in temps and conditions like that the colony remains quite active and must burn through their stores at a faster rate then during the long cold winter. How much faster? If we get a couple weeks like this should I begin to be concerned about putting out supplemental feed so as to not have them dip too heavily into their capped stores? Up to now, I had been following the local advice to do any feeding early to give time to cure and cap, avoiding adding lots of moisture into hive late in year.

It has been such a strange fall. Normally by now we would be at peak color or even a bit past. This year we are still 80% green leaves....at least 2 week behind normal progresion. And I won't be shocked if we do get some more long unseasonably warm stretches.

T Beek · October 07, 2011, 12:33:08 PM

You've got every reason to be concerned. We've also had temps in high 70's, low 80's for last few days, long after a few hard frosts. Available forage has been mostly non existant around here for awhile. My bees (four colonies) have gone through over 100 lbs of syrup in a week, along with much of their stores.

We need to get and stay cold or sugar will bankrupt me.

thomas

yockey5 · October 07, 2011, 12:36:37 PM

My bees were ready for winter, then we had a good goldenrod flow. Now we have some aster blooming, but I will need to check them for stores in the next day or two.

mikecva · October 07, 2011, 02:14:01 PM

We had some cold days and colder nights with a hint of snow (not even a dusting) now it is in the mid 70s. We just started our winter feeding (2:1) and will continue until it drops below 50 again. Luckily we can now get sugar in more then 20# bags. -Mike

windfall · October 07, 2011, 06:01:44 PM

I guess what I am asking about is how big a dent a colony will make in it's stores with a week of these conditions?

I had thought I was all wrapped up for the season, but am now wondering if I should account for this warm weather in some way...??

tefer2 · October 07, 2011, 08:20:10 PM

We have been feeding for awhile here too, where does it all go?
Mine use a lot of energy just roaming around the place.
If they are coming home empty handed, they will be fed from your winter stores.

L Daxon · October 07, 2011, 09:59:47 PM

Quote from: windfall on October 07, 2011, 10:14:49 AM

Now we have had a number of hard frosts and virtually all the forage is gone. The coming week is predicted to be sunny and mid 70's. I assume that in temps and conditions like that the colony remains quite active and must burn through their stores at a faster rate then during the long cold winter. How much faster? If we get a couple weeks like this should I begin to be concerned about putting out supplemental feed so as to not have them dip too heavily into their capped stores? Up to now, I had been following the local advice to do any feeding early to give time to cure and cap, avoiding adding lots of moisture into hive late in year.

It has been such a strange fall. Normally by now we would be at peak color or even a bit past. This year we are still 80% green leaves....at least 2 week behind normal progresion. And I won't be shocked if we do get some more long unseasonably warm stretches.

I think I would feed if you think you are going to get a week or two of 70 degrees and no forage for the girls. It kind of depends on how active you think the girls are. If they are just hanging out front, they may not be making a noticeable dent int the stores, just getting some sun. But if they are really coming and going yet not bringing anything back, you might have cause for concern.

T Beek · October 08, 2011, 06:53:50 AM

Don't know about the rest of you beeks, but my bees should be in loose cluster right now, not seeking nonexistent forage. Sugar purchasing is gonna take me to the poorhouse this year.

I've only got four colonies (three of which were quite strong and full of bees/honey just a couple weeks ago), yet they've gotten lighter w/ each check despite daily syrup feeding.

With this weather it doesn't take long for bees to clean out a winters worth of stored honey and doom themselves in the process. Its gonna be a long winter for my girls.

thomas

BlueBee · October 08, 2011, 02:14:45 PM

Yes, I've got the same worry. It's been very warm for us and there is no food in the fields. I still have my feeders on, so if they need more feed, they can take it.

Thomas, is one of your colonies that late swarm you caught in Sept? Did you decide what to do with it yet?

greenbtree · October 08, 2011, 05:04:32 PM

I've been continuing to feed, a couple of my hives still needed to put up stores. But, I am feeding all of them because it has been so warm and dry. A few asters still around, but that's about it. Worst of all, robbing is rampant. My bees aren't trying to rob each other (another reason I am feeding all 7 of my hives), I have been watching flight patterns. But all my hives are under attack. Reducers on all hives down to one bee width - but they just keep coming. I have been forced to put out an external feeder on the flight path that the other bees have been coming from. It seems to pull some of the pressure off my hives. I HATE feeding someone else's bees or ferals right now, but I figure the extreme fighting on my hives would be worse.

JC

T Beek · October 08, 2011, 05:04:52 PM

Yeah that's right BlueBee, and it looks like they may have to be combined after all based on extended forecast around here (and they were doing so well, all things considered, but currently have zero stores); dry and above average temps is all I'm seeing in near future.

Yet another reminder to me that bees are a tropical insect and likely wouldn't choose to live in these parts 'if given the choice.'.

Either way, whether my bees survive this winter or not, it'll be on sugar syrup (and dry sugar if winter does come) this year cuz they've already consumed most of their honey. Tough road ahead.

thomas

derekm · October 08, 2011, 05:18:28 PM

Quote from: T Beek on October 08, 2011, 05:04:52 PM
....

Yet another reminder to me that bees are a tropical insect and likely wouldn't choose to live in these parts 'if given the choice.'.

...

They may have originated there but so did we. A Bee colony in a thick walled tree lined with a couple of inches of foamy rotten wood with a good stock of stores is up for anything where there are enough blooms in summer. (sound a bit like us as well) Its just we build such bad immitations of their habitat.