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Feeding A Nuc or Package |
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After a beekeeper successfully installs a new nuc or package, the goal changes to getting them ready for winter. No matter how early you get your nuc or package, or how good the nectar and pollen flows are that year, the bees still have a lot of work to do before the upcoming winter.
Although a nuc or package may produce some surplus honey, that should not be your first goal. Sure we've all heard the phrase "a hive that doesn't produce is just dead wood". But there is another phrase "dead hives are not profitable". If you take honey from a hive that needs it for winter, sure you'll make money by selling whatever honey you don't eat or give away. But then in the spring you'll be without bees again, and you'll have to start from step one with a nuc or package, and those cost money. By the time you buy your new bees and feed them, last year's profit is gone, and you'll be even father in the hole than last year. It's up to you as to what kind of beekeeper you want to be, but I would rather let these bees be welfare bees the first year, then let them pay me back the next year. |
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As I said, your new nuc or package has a lot of work to do before winter. They have to draw comb, build numbers, and gather nectar to feed the larva, and to store for winter. Since it takes eight pounds of nectar to make one pound of wax, that is no easy task. If a two deep hive has only 5 pounds of wax, counting the cappings, you're bees need to collect 40 pounds of nectar just to draw their combs. Add to that the four or five hundred pounds of nectar that they will need to make the 60 pounds of honey they will need for winter, and the nectar to feed themselves, and the brood. I haven't even considered the pollen and propolis that they have to collect.
Compare all this to an established hive that already has lots more bees, lots of propolis, and drawn comb, and we can now see why surplus honey is not a priority. |
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Now that we're done with the lecture, lets look at what we can do to help these bees get through winter. |
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When getting a new nuc or package, there are two common mistakes that beekeepers make: not feeding enough, and overfeeding.
We have to feed enough syrup to help them draw comb, and feed their brood. But not so much that we plug up the brood nest. If you feed so much that you backfill the brood nest with syrup, you take away the ability of the queen to lay eggs. This can either induce swarming, or simply weaken your hive.
So lets choose a feeder. In my opinion the best feeders by far are ones that give you easy access, without drawing pests. |
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Here's a list of feeder options: |
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Boardmen Entrance Feeder - This feeder works by placing a mason jar with holes in the lid, upside down in the holder. Then slipping the feeder into the entrance of the hive on the bottom board. This feeder works great for providing a close water source on hot days, but it attracts to many pests, like ants, or yellow jackets. Can also set off robbing if there is no nectar flow. One way to solve this problem is to place the entire entrance feeder in the hive, on the top bars with a super around the feeder. |
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Hive Top Feeder - This feeder is probably the most accessible. All that is needed to refill this feeder is to lift the lid and pour in more syrup, often without the use of smoke. However there is a cost to this convenience. With this feeder on, the bees are not able to access the inner cover to defend the top of the hive. This allows ants and other pests to get to it. These pests then drown in the syrup causing it to become septic. A possible solution is to place screen over the top of the feeder or just under the inner cover. This feeder sits on top of the brood box, then a super is place over the feeder, then the inner and outer cover. |
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Division Board Feeder - Commonly called the frame feeder. This feeder works by replacing one of the outside frames with the feeder. The feeder is inside the hive and protected from pests, and robbers. The beekeeper only needs to pull off the outer and inner cover to refill the feeder. There is one down side, bees tend to drown in the liquid. To solve this simply place a stick for a float in the feeder. Some frame feeders even come with a float. |
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Feeder Jar - This feeder is by far my favorite. Its simply a jar with holes in the lid just like the jar of any entrance feeder. One of the best advantages to this feeder is that you can use a larger jar than an entrance feeder. Simply place the jar on top of the top bars with a super around the feeder. Another option is to place a shim on each side of the inner cover hole, then place the jar on the shims, with a box around the feeder. This allows the bees to access the inner cover and defend the feeder, while still making it easier to refill the feeder without disturbing the hive. |
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Another feeding option is to lay a one gallon zip lock across the top bars, then cutting a slit in the bag using a razor. |
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Now that we have a good idea of what type of feeders to use, its time to learn about how much syrup and what kind of syrup to use.
When mixing sugar and water, you can't just poor half a bucket of sugar into the bucket, then pour in water until the bucket is full. This is not an accurate method of measurement. To accurately measure, you need to measure out the sugar and the water separately. The water should be hot tap water to allow the sugar to dissolve easier. This mixture should be a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water. For every five gallons of feed that you make, you need to add one cap full of white vinegar. This helps keep mold from growing. If the syrup does get a little moldy, don't worry about it. However if there is lots of mold and it stinks, throw it out.
Mix up a gallon of syrup for every nuc or package. If you're using the jar feeders inside the hive or on the inner cover, and can't find gallon jars, just use four quarts to make a gallon.
After putting the feed on, check back in a week to see how much feed is remaining. If there is any feed remaining, check it for an abundance of mold. Then refill but reduce the amount given by a quart.
On week two inspect the hive to see how much brood is present. If this was a package, you should see drawn comb and at least three frames of larva present. If this was a nuc, look to see if the brood nest has expanded and it any new comb is being drawn. With either the nuc or package, check to see if there is lots of nectar or syrup being stored. Some storage is normal, but watch for the brood nest being back filled. The queen should have plenty of space to lay in. If she has all ready laid in the majority of the drawn comb, and there is un drawn frames, simply move one of the un drawn frames so it is beside the last brood frame. Knowing if they are backfilling the brood nest is a judgment call, watch their progress, but don't disturb them to much.
Another thing to note, if they have not taken much, or any of the feed, you may have a strong nectar flow going on. In this case it is ok to remove the feed, but if they will take it, give it to them unless they are storing to much of it.
As the season progresses, they should gain in strength, and the brood nest should expand. When the hive has eight frames of drawn comb being used, and with plenty of bees to defend those combs, its time to give them another box.
Once the first box is full, they will expand the brood nest into the second brood chamber. Keep in mind that as the season progresses, more storage of nectar becomes a normal and healthy thing. After all...they do need to store enough food for winter. If the nectar flows are good that year, you may even get a surplus of honey. So have your supers ready to go! But before you put honey supers on, let them fill the second hive body with honey for winter.
When the main flows have ended, you may need to feed again. Lift the hive to see if its heavy. If you have to grunt to pick it up, you may not have to feed. On you next inspection, see how much drawn comb and honey they have stored. The top box should be full of honey, and the bottom brood chamber should have some honey in the outside frames, with brood on the remaining frames. The hive should bee full of bees and just as strong as any other hive.
If you need to know more about winter prep, please read the winter prep, and winter feeding page.
Good luck!
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