With spring approaching when is the best time to give my girls the nutrient enriched bee sausage.
The answer for our area where feeding protein supplements is not a part of varroa management is simple and quite complex at the same time.
The simple part.
For the most efficient use of bees, the measures for colony build-up should start 51 days before the beginning of the major flow and cease 29 days before the end of the major flow. The bees produced in this period have a chance to work at least 5 days on the flow. The rest are just mouths to feed.
The complex part.
From what point do you count back? There you need to know which nectar producer you are targeting.
Another thing, what is happening in your hive right now? How much honey and pollen do they have at the moment? If it is empty, you need to provide support to the colony to prevent it from serious weakening before you decide to really crank it up.
Thanks for the info.
I need to wait for better weather before I have a look inside or my girls might get grumpy.
You may also find your hives have sufficient natural pollen. I know my hives have carried through pollen from last season and have been bringing in a lot of pollen starting 4 or so weeks ago. At the moment the spring weeds are up and about with good pollen and nectar. Also there are some plants that are just providing pollen at the moment. I’m just down the road from you.
Every now and again the season results in my brood boxes getting pollen bound. I take those frames out and use to feed back.
A simpler answer is that our bees start to increase brood production from the winter solstice. In my experience if I want to spike my forager numbers I will feed sugar syrup and supplement with pollen Pattie’s only if necessary.
Thanks Adam,
During the recent storms I’ve been giving my girls 2/1 sugar syrup. As a newbie I stocked up before winter on everything I thought I would need.
Although I ordered bee patties I received bee sausage. I’m not sure what the difference is.
However, I don’t want to supplement feeding (as natural is best) if it’s not necessary.
Plenty of pollen dropped into pest tray and thankfully not one single pest.
Girls very busy when the sun’s out.
It’s just a different form of packaging.
In this case, I wouldn’t worry about supplementing protein unless I was chasing some specific goals, like increased wax production or grafted queen cells acceptance…
Thanks for all assistance. Very helpful.
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