Transferred "my swarm" to a new hive. I built them five brood-frames, (better to have an odd number so that they can start work on the middle frame.)
I put 1 litre of water in a pan and added 1 litre by volume of white sugar and put it on a very low heat while I transferred the swarm to their new home in a hope that they will have time to build up and live through the winter.
Once they were in the new brood-chamber with the dummy board and with the crown-board and roof in place I went back and put the syrup in a 2 litre plastic milk bottle.
I dripped a little of the syrup on the top of the frames just under the off-hole in the crown-board, (being VERY careful not to drown the swarm, though a few drips were not a problem.) Then the crown-board was replaced and a few drops on the edge of the crown board opening. Then the feeder was placed over the hole and I dripped a trail down the inside of the feeder to lead the bees up, and then another splash in the feeder to lead them down to the syrup. Then the inner cover was replaced and the feeder was filled. I replaced the feeder-cover, added an empty super and replaced the lid.
Steve suggested that I find all of the local liquidation-sales of hotels and restaurants and buy up the sugar that is individually wrapped with the name of the establishment, (they are no good to anyone else.) These can be used to create heavy syrup for your bees.
Steve keeps referring to the swarm as mine, but as his student, (and all the equipment is his) I feel that they are his. Both of us are wrong as honey-bees are WILD ANIMALS and don't technically belong to anyone, though the hives that they live in _do_ belong to the bee-keeper, so I can't just help myself to the honey in other people's hives.
This will probably be rather mute as the swarm is really a cast and probably too small to make it through the winter.
I put 1 litre of water in a pan and added 1 litre by volume of white sugar and put it on a very low heat while I transferred the swarm to their new home in a hope that they will have time to build up and live through the winter.
Once they were in the new brood-chamber with the dummy board and with the crown-board and roof in place I went back and put the syrup in a 2 litre plastic milk bottle.
I dripped a little of the syrup on the top of the frames just under the off-hole in the crown-board, (being VERY careful not to drown the swarm, though a few drips were not a problem.) Then the crown-board was replaced and a few drops on the edge of the crown board opening. Then the feeder was placed over the hole and I dripped a trail down the inside of the feeder to lead the bees up, and then another splash in the feeder to lead them down to the syrup. Then the inner cover was replaced and the feeder was filled. I replaced the feeder-cover, added an empty super and replaced the lid.
Steve suggested that I find all of the local liquidation-sales of hotels and restaurants and buy up the sugar that is individually wrapped with the name of the establishment, (they are no good to anyone else.) These can be used to create heavy syrup for your bees.
Steve keeps referring to the swarm as mine, but as his student, (and all the equipment is his) I feel that they are his. Both of us are wrong as honey-bees are WILD ANIMALS and don't technically belong to anyone, though the hives that they live in _do_ belong to the bee-keeper, so I can't just help myself to the honey in other people's hives.
This will probably be rather mute as the swarm is really a cast and probably too small to make it through the winter.
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