Feeding with an eke on

[snimmo243]

Hi
I hope someone can help!
I am treating my colonies with Apiguard which requires an eke to allow space above the foil tray, therefore I have the eke, then the crown board, then a "doughnut" feeder, empty super and roof.
Will the bees find the feeder ok (it is now about 3 inches above the frames as opposed to sitting on the crown board directly above the frames)?

Would it be better to remove the eke and place the feeder directly onto the frames?

Thanks in advance for any advice
Steven

[darlo]

I am a relative newbie beekeeper, this being my third winter coming up. I have always used a feeder on top of a crown board, allowing the bees access through the feed holes. I too use an eke, which goes on top of the crown board, then the roof.

I also use a quilt above this just to allow some insulation. Not sure how other beekeepers do it, but, fingers crossed it has worked for me.

[Neils]

You should be ok feeding above an apiguard eke. Dribbling a small amount of syrup down the feeder entrance might just drop them a hint that syrup is present if needed.

[snimmo243]

Thanks for the advice, it is my first year with Apiguard, up until now i've used Apistan which means I would normally have the crown board directly on top of the frames as normal with my feeder on top of the feed hole, my concerns about the extra couple of inches between the frames and feeder have been allayed. Although I will probably have a look over the next day or two to make sure they are getting syrup1
thanks
Steven

[Jon]

Mine take feed ok with the eke on.
You can find a twig and put it inside the feeder down to the top of the frames but they will probably find the syrup anyway. They often make a ladder of brace comb up to the bottom of the feeder.

[snimmo243]

I just went to check on the feed on my colonies, strangely one colony has barely touched the syrup (bees were in the feeder though) whilst the other has finished off 2 litres - any views?

Steven

[Jon]

A colony with nosema is reluctant to take feed but sometimes it just takes a colony 2 or 3 days to get going and then they take it down quickly.

[snimmo243]

What are the symptoms of nosema?

[Poly Hive]

Unless very serious Nosema can best be diagnosed by microscope.

Not taking syrup is not normally a symptom of nosema though it is dtrue that seriously sick colonies express little interest.

Normally it is due to, either being stuffed full and no room to store it, or it is not yet evident to the bees, or it is too cold.

I am not at all keen on feeding syrup from above and through the crown board, and far prefer to use either custom made feeders which are syrup tight, or frame feeders.

Dribble some down so the bees realise they have goodies above them and see if them make a move then.

PH

[Jon]

Eric Mussen points out in this document that Spanish researchers noted that colonies infected by N ceranae will not take their medicine in syrup.

At one stage Mariano Higes even thought that N Ceranae was the cause of CCD but it is now accepted that it is not that simple. (And it ain't just caused by Imidacloprid either!)