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alison
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Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 9:06 am Post subject:
I would do the same mix that Julie said, a medium syrup, as it is the easiest for the bees to digest, and they can get on with drawing out comb.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 9:09 am Post subject:

I have some extraction photos from last year on my Flickr account - https://flickr.com/photos/amethystdragon/sets/72157600426132767/

We ended up having to do it in the dining room (you can see my horrible carpet!) and covering everything with plastic as we simply don't have enough room in our kitchen!

We borrow the extractor from the club although its a solid one - its seen better days and has a habit of being rather temperamental

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 10:32 am Post subject:

Feeding weak sugar solution 1/1 or 1lb to a pint of water is fine for spring/summer feeding.
For autumn/winter feed 2/1 is recommended, the weaker syrup takes too long for the bees to evaporate down to storage levels & there is a risk it may be stored with to much water & ferment in the frames which can cause intestinal problems for the bees & possible mould growth.
To make 2/1 I put the water in a preserving pan, add the sugar & heat & stir until it has all dissolved.1/1 will dissolve in cold water.
Frame feeders are fine but as as already said means opening the hive every 2 or 3 days to refill, I use these.
https://secure.thorne.co.uk/popup/health7.htm
Don't like the rapid feeders (The buckets with a gauze in the lid which you invert over the feed hole) feed can sometimes run out over the frames & out the hive entrance encouraging robbing.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 10:44 am Post subject:
We have an extractor and a ripener that we would be happy to lend out, transport being the issue, obviously.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 10:47 am Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

I use these.
https://secure.thorne.co.uk/popup/health7.htm
Don't like the rapid feeders (The buckets with a gauze in the lid which you invert over the feed hole) feed can sometimes run out over the frames & out the hive entrance encouraging robbing.

Those are what I meant by Rapid feeders - I thought they were the only sort

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 10:49 am Post subject:
Our bee inspector said that rather than pay out for feeders, he often uses old jam buckets, etc. with some small holes punched in the lid. The air pressure keeps the syrup in in the same way that it does with the gauze-lidded buckets you buy.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:25 am Post subject:
Really dumb question now. If you use rapid feeders or the jam jar types then do you have to leave the hive lid off? They sit over the hole in the crown board don't they?

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:27 am Post subject:
You use another lift and put it in the 'attic' you create for them.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:31 am Post subject:
A lift? Is that similar to an eke?

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:33 am Post subject:
I don't know what an eke is . The bit you hang the frames in, anyway (you are a National Person, I think?). Stick an empty one on top of your crown board, and turn the feeder upside down on the hole in the board, then pop your lid over the whole thing.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:34 am Post subject:
So basically an empty super? An eke is a frame that lifts the lid up a tiny bit.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:35 am Post subject:
Yes, that's it, got there in the end. Sorry - brain melting. 'Lift' is the outside bit on the WBC. Whole terminology thing going on.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:39 am Post subject:
we've got bucket contact feeders and ashford feeders (which are like another super but designed for feeding - can't get thornes picture to copy atm)

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:40 am Post subject:
We have a couple of ashfords and had an absolute disaster with them - they didn't fit quite exactly (or we didn't fit them exactly) and about a million bees climbed in round the edges and drowned . It was horrible; like a Bee Titanic Disaster.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 08 11:44 am Post subject:

Chez wrote:

We have a couple of ashfords and had an absolute disaster with them - they didn't fit quite exactly (or we didn't fit them exactly) and about a million bees climbed in round the edges and drowned

. It was horrible; like a Bee Titanic Disaster.

oh dear -

we had our roof vent mesh go on one hive and drowned a load of wasps once - but they had it coming...

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