Why I Feed ONE Hive and Leave the Others Alone (On Purpose) | Beekeeping скачать в хорошем качестве

Why I Feed ONE Hive and Leave the Others Alone (On Purpose) | Beekeeping

Good morning and welcome back to another beekeeping video with me, Brian. 🐝 If you enjoy calm, practical, real-world beekeeping — the kind that explains why decisions are made, not just what happens — I’d genuinely love it if you’d consider subscribing to the channel. It really helps the channel grow and lets me keep sharing what I’m learning along the way. In today’s video, I’m doing something very simple, very deliberate, and very intentional: feeding just one hive — and leaving the rest completely alone. This video was filmed first-person on a GoPro Hero 13 Black, mounted on my visor, which gives you a true beekeeper’s-eye view of what feeding a hive actually looks like in real conditions, wearing gloves, moving calmly, and working with bees that are just waking up for the day. I’ve got a five-litre pot with around three litres of a 1:1 sugar and water solution, and I walk down to my apiary to feed a single hive. That’s it. No inspections. No frames pulled. No disruption to the others. And that’s by design. Over the past three weeks, I’ve inspected my hives weekly. I know where they’re at. I know which ones are strong, which ones are stable, and which ones have already given a lot — including donating frames of honey and baby bees to help build and support a struggling nucleus hive. Because of that, I’ve made a conscious decision: This particular hive will not be harvested from this season. Instead of taking honey from it, I’m feeding it earlier than I normally would and letting it build up what’s often referred to as sugar honey — honey produced from sugar syrup that the bees convert, store, and cap just like nectar-based honey. Why do this? Because it turns this hive into a kind of buffer hive. By feeding it well ahead of winter, I’m allowing it to build a strong reserve of stored honey. If later in the season — or heading into winter — one of my other hives needs help, I can transfer frames from this hive without stressing the others or risking starvation. It’s a strategy that prioritises overall apiary resilience, not just short-term harvest. You’ll also notice that I don’t open the hive fully. I simply lift the lid, fill the feeding frame, and close it back up. No smoke, no stress, no unnecessary interference. The bees are calm, slightly curious, and very much in “morning mode.” That’s exactly how I want to leave them. I also explain a small but important detail about feeding frames — why I add bits of wood and natural material inside the feeder. It’s a simple adjustment that helps prevent drowning and gives bees something to climb on if they slip into the syrup. Little details like this make a big difference to bee safety and stress levels. Throughout the video, you’ll see my different hive setups, including standard Langstroths and my fully insulated long Langstroth — one of my favourite hives to work on. You’ll also see how differently each hive behaves at the same time of day, which tells you a lot about colony rhythm and strength. This is slow, intentional beekeeping. No rush. No panic. No forcing outcomes. If you like this style of beekeeping — observational, respectful, and based on understanding bee behaviour — please consider subscribing. I don’t sell merch, I don’t push products, and I’m not trying to be the loudest voice in the room. I just enjoy sharing what works, what doesn’t, and what I’m learning as I go. And yes — this entire video was filmed on the GoPro Hero 13 Black, which has become my go-to camera for hands-free beekeeping. Being able to record safely, clearly, and without juggling an iPhone makes a huge difference, especially when wearing gloves. Thanks for stopping by, thanks for watching, and I hope you’ll stick around for the next one. Save the bees — one calm decision at a time. #beekeeping #savethebees #goprohero13black #beekeepinglife #feedingbees #backyardbeekeeping