Quick question on feeding. As the weather starts to slowly warm up in the north, when i have a forecast for warm weather, can I start to feed but stop if it turns cold again? Or once I start feeding do i have to keep feeding until a flow starts?
thanks
If it turns cold your bees will return to cluster mode and stop taking feed.
I would try my best to work out the feeding so that you could keep it on continuous.
However, I would not jeopardize the health and dryness of the hive just to accomplish a little feeding.
I would pull syrup if there is a significant risk that the feeding method could cause a damp cluster.
With this in mind, I would not recommend a hive top feeder for this time of the year.
If you are feeding to assure survival (like the hive is light) then I would consider a candyboard/block or feeding dry sugar. If you are feeding syrup to stimulate brood, you are going to have to dance with the devil and fight with weather conditions.
My thinking is that if there is a chance for cold to strike again, go with fondant. If it's to the point where there won't be any more cold and a flow has yet to start, go ahead and feed. I wouldn't feed a whole lot though. Just enough to get them to make it to the flow, and only if they really need fed at all.
This time of year I prefer to use a feeding station some distance from the hives as it is accessible to all the hives and being away from the hives doesn't promote robbing. Once you start feeding you need to stay with it until mid-March at least. My method mimics a flow and gets the foragers out and the queen into production but its not for everybody. I'm rather unorthodox as I've found the main stream to stiffling.