Spring Treatment: Fumigilin B

Fumigilin B is one of three spring treatments I do for my hives.

The Spring Feeding directions say to feed 5 grams of Fumigilin in 4 Litres of sugar syrup.

The idea is that you want the bees to eat the syrup within 24 hours after mixing it, while the medication is still suspended in the syrup instead of settled to the bottom.

I'd been waiting on the weather until temperatures were in the pluses.  Most days have been anywehre from +5 to +15.

I did some measuring.  A typical plastic juice pitcher is 2 Litres when filled to the bottom of the spout (not all the way to the top of the jug).   I used a small scales to measure out the grams of Fumigilin powder.

Next I shook up the powder in a small contrainer of syrup.  Then I added the syrup to the pitcher and gave it a really good stir.

My plan was to use sugar baggies laid on top of the frames where it'd be close and warmed by the cluster of bees.

The large bags hold over 3L of fluid but I'd been finding when filled too full they'd leak and drip once slit.

I planned instead to do the treatment in 2 feedings.  So they'd get 2L syrup and 2.5 grams of Fumigilin.

[Here's 2L of syrup in a large Glad freezer bag.]

I'll return in a couple days to remove it and give them another 2L syrup.

The bees have been very interested in the pollen patties, even more than the syrup,I think it might be because it's not cold like syrup.

It's probably like fast food--ready made bee bread that they can feed the larvae.

The challenge over the next few days will be finding a day when the weather permits opening the hive.  We're looking at rain the next few days.