Winter Feed

Following last weeks varroa mite treatment with formic acid, it is now time to feed the colonies with sugar food. Seems crazy to have to feed sugar to bees but there are a number of reasons:
1) I had one new colony started in May 2013 which then lost it's queen, was split in to two colonies and together with a queenless swarm, three hives were formed. These were never fully developed by the end of the season.
2) The three hives had to be robbed on 26th August of their honey (22kg) as it mainly consisted of Honeydew Honey (Waldhonig = Forest Honey). For the winter, the colony needs a substantial amount of food (honey) but this honey is very high in indigestibles, causing dysentery to the bees and in cold winters can lead to their death.

To replace this robbed honey, we are using two different types of feed;
1) "Apifonda" - Micro-fine paste feed for the two better developed colonies.
2) "Apiinivert" - Syrup for the much smaller off spring colony.

The two bigger colonies each got a 7.5kg sticky paste block simply laid on top of the combs. The off spring a 14kg bucket of fluid syrup, again laid on the combs with very tiny holes in the inverted lid from which the bees drink (turning the bucket on it's lid causes a vacuum).

In both cases, the bees will take the sugar paste/syrup, turn it into honey and store it in the combs until they need it as food.

We are only going to take a single layer/storey for each colony in to the winter. Not just that the colonies are not fully developed but experience has shown it is easier to get a smaller colony through the winter.

The photo is of the "Apiinivert" bucket on top of the offspring colony. Then put an empty storey on top with an insulated lid and finally a metal water proof roof. Photo was taken in a hurry at 20:18, sunset was at 19:53. Sorry for the quality.