Starvation and Foulbrood Warning Spring 2021

Please check that your bees have plenty of food during this cold snap. 

EMERGENCY FEEDING MAY BE NEEDED 

Your colonies may be starting to run out of food! It would be advisable to check the food levels by opening the hive and making a very quick observation on their store levels. 

It is important to check hives have small entrances. Foulbrood is about in some areas and small colonies or those suffering from disease need to be able to defend themselves. Strong colonies may try to rob weaker ones and thus contract the infections. It probably is not possible to inspect the colonies as it may be still too cold but the best defence is to ensure they all have food and inspect their brood very carefully when it is warm enough.

Key points to remember are on Beebase :

The colony may still have stores available which are at the other end of the brood chamber to the cluster of bees.

At this time of the year we would usually start feeding sugar syrup but with these temperatures it is easier to use fondant. Place the fondant directly above the bees, turning the crown board if necessary so that one of the porter bee escape holes is above the cluster or place it directly on the frames.

Please be aware that this should be done as quickly and carefully as possible and although it may seem too cold to open the hive now, it is far better to do so knowing the bees are OK than not to and find later that they have died.