Hi all,
Some questions around feeding my bees. This is my first hive and I am 10 days into it. My bees are still taking 1 quart a day. I also just purchased a top feeder so I can load it up if needed (especially when I am on vacation). Here are my questions:
1. How long do I continue to feed syrup? Will the hive stop taking it at some point?
2. How do I know if and when I should feed pollen patties? I know it is for protein but why and when would I start or stop feeding it?
3. I have heard about grease patties? What's this? and why? and when?
4. I was told that I should start adding syrup as required such as in a dearth and/or in the fall. How do I know when in the fall to start and stop? How to I determine when a dearth happens bad enough to start feeding again in mid-summer?
5. I have read much about adding sugar directly to the top bars of a hive. What are the circumstance around this? I read much on the how, just unable to fully understand the why.
Thanks All!!!!
/Chris in NJ
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I suppose that you have there eraly summer and lots of flowers.
If you feed the first week, it is surely enough. Feed only that much that they have started comb building.
They get pollen from nature.
Try to nurse so that they have some honey/syrup in combs.
Let them get food from nature. So they have nough.
If you feed too much it takes room from brood.
Then you wait 4 weeks that ned bees start to ermerge.
That is for swarm or to package hive.
If you have a nuc which has combs and brood, just let them get food from nature.
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sugar on the top bars is good for winter. it gives you a little insurance against them running out of food when you can't check. it also absorbs some moisture which is a big + for me.
in spring, do as finsky suggest, but keep an eye on them. sometimes there will be lots of bloom and sometimes not. depends on weather and temps. if things dry up or weather turns, it will not take a new hive long to through stores.
Quote from: kathyp on May 20, 2010, 04:12:25 PM
in spring, do as finsky suggest, but keep an eye on them.
The recipe is, first look and then feed, if there are no stores.
Not this way : feed as much as they take and then look when swarm escapes.
Feeding helps nothing in summer. It makes only trouble.
Quote from: kathyp on May 20, 2010, 04:12:25 PM
sugar on the top bars is good for winter.
It depends what kind of winter. In our climate it makes no sence.
Bees has a system that they food are in capped combs.
I feed until they stop taking it or until the first two deeps are fully drawn out (I use 2 deeps for the bees brood nest and winter stores.)