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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #8620  by AndrewLD
 27 Aug 2020, 09:41
huntsman. wrote:
26 Aug 2020, 20:08
Andrew; 'So I will not apologise for pointing out that they do not get the honey for us - ...'

Nobody asked you to.

And; 'and of course some/many strains/hybrids/modern bees are more prolific and wintering in bigger colonies needing more stores.'

Is that not what I said only in a different way?
A Freudian slip perhaps in your original first line? Do the bees just collect more than they require - just for us. Of course they do collect more than they require but our hives and beekeeping practices encourage us to take off more than we should and it takes a positive step change to change that and leave a super on.
This is a forum that many beginners use and the original poster has the right idea.
Your thread places the emphasis on changes in the bees rather than weather - I disagree. The move by many to 14x12, brood and half or double brood reflects the change in the bees and the increased capacity in the hives should address that change.
Changes in the weather on the other hand is encouraging a longer flying season with increased use of stores. It's the weather that is the problem and will be until we get a flow all year round.
So we are not saying the same thing at all - leaving a super in addition to any brood box(es) capacity seems to be a necessity nowadays because of changes in our weather.
 #8634  by AdamD
 27 Aug 2020, 17:19
Relating to a previous post, I believe that heather honey can contain protein and is more likely to cause dysentry? If so, it would make sense for it to be removed, diluted with syrup (or other honey). I am happy to feed syrup if needed and don't want to be greedy by robbing the bees blind and then filling them up with syrup. With luck, ivy will be starting to yield soon with both pollen and nectar which is a good last hurrah for the bees for the year.

Last autumn was not so good, it has been reported, so colonies didn't get stocked up with enough pollen and with a cool spring, my colonies were slow to get going this year.
 #8636  by NigelP
 27 Aug 2020, 17:49
Ling heather honey does have a high protein content. One of the reasons that causes it to form a thixotrophic honey that requires pressing to extract, rather than centrifuging (unless you add in the extra step of using a heather honey loosener).
The bit about heather honey causing dysentery is another beekeeping myth. They overwinter fine on it.
 #8644  by AdamD
 28 Aug 2020, 10:06
NigelP wrote:
27 Aug 2020, 17:49
Ling heather honey does have a high protein content. One of the reasons that causes it to form a thixotrophic honey that requires pressing to extract, rather than centrifuging (unless you add in the extra step of using a heather honey loosener).
The bit about heather honey causing dysentery is another beekeeping myth. They overwinter fine on it.
I am not near heather so I have no experience of it - hence the question mark in my post; I know you like to de-bunk these myths, Nigel.
 #8645  by Gerry
 28 Aug 2020, 10:59
Ling heather does indeed have a much higher protein content compared to other UK honies but I would not use the phrase "high protein" content when typically this varies between 0.5% up to 2% protein. I took several colonies to the heather moors over several decades ( don't bother now and have sold the press) and never had a problem with dysentery with colonies that had been taken there. The water content of ling heather honey can be above 20% in some years (this is allowed for in the honey regs) so I suppose it is at risk of fermentation and this may be the reason why some people report dysentery problems or may be it is simply a case lof false correlation.
When judging honey at shows I do come across fermentation in jars of heather but usually I find the problem more in the soft set class.
 #9004  by Patrick
 25 Sep 2020, 11:28
A question for you guys well North of me.

Bees are always said to be increasingly reluctant to come up through rapid feeders when the weather cools in Autumn- hence trying to bulk feed earlier if possible.

When do you find is the latest normal “up and over” rapid feeders still work for you. Given that autumn weather varies year on year obviously ? I always try to get it done by end September- but that was also said in the 1940’s and our weather has changed since then. Going to heather and varroa treatments may presumably push it all on as well?
 #9005  by huntsman.
 25 Sep 2020, 11:38
<but that was also said in the 1940’s and our weather has changed since then.>

Not so much the weather but your honeybee type most certainly has.

Not saying it isn't impacting elsewhere but I have been through enough summers and I don't see any difference since my childhood in the fifties.
 #9006  by huntsman.
 25 Sep 2020, 16:08
While I have an Ashforth feeder for each hive, I'm going to dispense with them this feeding season.

I have been giving them light syrup in two rapid feeders without lid but filled with stones about 25m from the hives for the last four weeks. As I've seen no evidence of robbing, today I gave them some heavy syrup and they are on it like snuff at a wake. I'll repeat every three days until October is out.

Ivy is about two weeks from flowering in my neck of the woods. I like to have syrup available when the ivy nectar comes in as the resultant 'honey' doesn't set so hard.

Lovely number of orientation flights today as the weather has just turned warmer. Bodes well for a high number of 'Winter Bees.'
 #9007  by Steve 1972
 25 Sep 2020, 16:49
huntsman. wrote:
25 Sep 2020, 16:08
While I have an Ashforth feeder for each hive, I'm going to dispense with them this feeding season.

I have been giving them light syrup in two rapid feeders without lid but filled with stones about 25m from the hives for the last four weeks. As I've seen no evidence of robbing, today I gave them some heavy syrup and they are on it like snuff at a wake. I'll repeat every three days until October is out.

Ivy is about two weeks from flowering in my neck of the woods. I like to have syrup available when the ivy nectar comes in as the resultant 'honey' doesn't set so hard.

Lovely number of orientation flights today as the weather has just turned warmer. Bodes well for a high number of 'Winter Bees.'
:o ..freezing cold here with rain on and off and 50mph winds threatening to take the fence down on my bees which i have had to brace back to the ground..
 #9008  by Steve 1972
 25 Sep 2020, 16:54
Patrick wrote:
25 Sep 2020, 11:28
A question for you guys well North of me.

Bees are always said to be increasingly reluctant to come up through rapid feeders when the weather cools in Autumn- hence trying to bulk feed earlier if possible.

When do you find is the latest normal “up and over” rapid feeders still work for you. Given that autumn weather varies year on year obviously ? I always try to get it done by end September- but that was also said in the 1940’s and our weather has changed since then. Going to heather and varroa treatments may presumably push it all on as well?
My bees are in poly and some stop taking sugar syrup sooner than others..some go till late October but by then colonies are more than heavy enough..