Our first ever package of bees will be arriving in 1-3 days and I'm scrambling to complete our Warre hive. We have everything finished except for the quilt box cloth and the feeder set-up because I'm not quite clear on how to arrange everything. We purchased a Rapid Feeder from BeeWorks (http://www.beeworks.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=14) but I'm not sure how to set it up with the quilt box. I have seen photos with a hole cut in the cloth but it wasn't clear if it was the top cloth that lays over the bars or the quilt cloth that is attached to the quilt box. If it is the top cloth do I just set another empty hive box on it and then cover that box with the quilt box? And at what point do I remove this box and feeder if that is the case? Thanks for any help! We're down to the wire!
Using a Rapid Feeder and the Quilt Box....confused
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Usually people cut a flap or a hole in the burlap/cloth that lays on top of the top bars, place the feeder on top, and then put an empty box around it. Then they put the quilt and roof above that. I'd remove it if the weather is nice and there is plenty blooming.
Best,
Matt
Best,
Matt
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Cacklewack is right. It's also better to feed a little and often, otherwise the bees will start storing it reducing the potential brood area and even causing the bees to swarm.
Relax and enjoy your bees. Good luck.
Stephen
Relax and enjoy your bees. Good luck.
Stephen
Awesome! Thanks for your help! One last question. I live in Georgia and the weather is already in the 80s here with lots of things blooming. We have peas, clover, tomatoes, potatoes, roses, azaleas, jasmine vine, a blueberry patch with 35 blueberries, and more...all starting to bloom. I know there's no hard and fast answer but when do you think I should I take the feeder out? I definitely don't want to encourage swarming by loading them up with too much food.
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With all that blooming I'd take the feeder off now unless it's constantly raining there so that they cannot forage.
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Feed them until they reached wintering size: two or three boxes drawn comb. Such colonies are too weak at the beginning to do all the tasks: building, foraging, brood care. So there might be a nectar flow, but the bees cannot make use of it. First year they need to establish and any break in feeding means a egg laying and comb building break. Means wintering trouble.
If you feed smaller quantaties constantly, you cannot overdo. If the bees are strong and there is plenty of fresh nectar available in the fields, they ignore the feed. You'll notice this.
So keep on feeding until two or three boxes are finished. If that is a vigirous colony, that can be in two, three weeks. Gradually stop feeding, no full stop. That would shock them too much. In late summer check for stores and make sure they have enough. In mild climates one solid box of food, in harsh climates you need two boxes solid honey. (Bottom box must be empty comb. Bees freeze to death on solid honey, they should sit on empty comb (former brood) and honey overhead. So you are preparing for winter now, what you need is comb, comb, comb. So they need to build as much as they can.
If you feed smaller quantaties constantly, you cannot overdo. If the bees are strong and there is plenty of fresh nectar available in the fields, they ignore the feed. You'll notice this.
So keep on feeding until two or three boxes are finished. If that is a vigirous colony, that can be in two, three weeks. Gradually stop feeding, no full stop. That would shock them too much. In late summer check for stores and make sure they have enough. In mild climates one solid box of food, in harsh climates you need two boxes solid honey. (Bottom box must be empty comb. Bees freeze to death on solid honey, they should sit on empty comb (former brood) and honey overhead. So you are preparing for winter now, what you need is comb, comb, comb. So they need to build as much as they can.
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True. I use an inner cover, too. No quilt. I use feeding buckets above the inner cover with one central hole in it. Or the rapid feeder, which is good for swarms and splits.
I suggest cutting a piece of plywood 13.5" square, or whatever your warre dimensions are. Bore 5 2" holes in it so it looks like a number 5 side of dice. Staple #7 or #8 hardware cloth to the top. Put it above the hive. Then up to 5 jars on the screen covered holes. Then an empty box, then the quilt, then the roof.
It can feed way more bees than a top feeder and it has no drowning...and it's frugal.
It can feed way more bees than a top feeder and it has no drowning...and it's frugal.
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