My two hives have very very little stores this fall. I just checked them both. We had a miserable and wet spring and summer here in New Jersey. I have filled a miller type feeder on Monday & on one hive it was sucked dry while the other is halfway through.
I am going to replenish both today with syrup. I hope I will be able to give them enough to last them through the tough winter ahead.
I will keep feeding them!
Any news from other New Jersey beeks? Are we all in the same boat or is it my darn luck.
-Regards to all
-Rodni
We're on the NJ\NY border. We checked our hives last weekend, we have 6 hives. Only one hive has any real honey stores. We do see brood in the hives, just no honey. We have started to continually feed, hoping they will build up some honey before the real cold sets in. On the few sunny days, we do see them out in the garden, but I think this will be a heavy feed fall and winter. I was unable to spot the queens (but never can), but since we saw brood we are assuming that we have laying queens.
Peg
Im in CT. I've been feeding every 3 or 4 days for the last couple weeks now. With all this wet weather I've also had recurring chalkbrood issues.
Quote from: Rodni73 on September 17, 2009, 09:43:08 AM
My two hives have very very little stores this fall. I just checked them both. We had a miserable and wet spring and summer here in New Jersey. I have filled a miller type feeder on Monday & on one hive it was sucked dry while the other is halfway through.
I am going to replenish both today with syrup. I hope I will be able to give them enough to last them through the tough winter ahead.
I will keep feeding them!
Any news from other New Jersey beeks? Are we all in the same boat or is it my darn luck.
-Regards to all
-Rodni
I would feed them all winter.
Sugar, even a todays prices is still cheaper that bees are.
I am in North Dakota. My hives are taking a gallon of 2:1 every 3-4 days.
Quote from: Rodni73 on September 17, 2009, 09:43:08 AM
My two hives have very very little stores this fall. I just checked them both. We had a miserable and wet spring and summer here in New Jersey. I have filled a miller type feeder on Monday & on one hive it was sucked dry while the other is halfway through.
I am going to replenish both today with syrup. I hope I will be able to give them enough to last them through the tough winter ahead.
I will keep feeding them!
Any news from other New Jersey beeks? Are we all in the same boat or is it my darn luck.
-Regards to all
-Rodni
Rodni,
You are NOT alone. Our NJ State Apiarist has seen lack of stores and heavy mites throughtout the State. I have a couple of hives with good stores, but the rest will have to be fed, so I would say we had a crappy nectar flow this year, but no matter what, I still enjoy keeping bees, it's the chase ( really a fight ) that counts. :-D