I set out 1:1 sugar syrup at least 75 yds from the hive to prevent robbing as I read here. Well, 4 days later and there are bees all over it but their not my bees. My bees are gathered on the fall blooming Autumn Joy Sedum that grows 50 feet from the syrup. Should I stop the feeding since they are not interested or keep waiting for them to 'want' it?
Newbee. First year hive.
Thanks.
I would not feed with a nectar flow. I see no point. Obviously your bees don't either.
Quote from: Michael Bush on September 12, 2011, 05:22:50 AM
I would not feed with a nectar flow. I see no point. Obviously your bees don't either.
ditto
Quote from: stella on September 12, 2011, 01:03:20 AM
I set out 1:1 sugar syrup at least 75 yds from the hive to prevent robbing as I read here. Well, 4 days later and there are bees all over it but their not my bees. My bees are gathered on the fall blooming Autumn Joy Sedum that grows 50 feet from the syrup. Should I stop the feeding since they are not interested or keep waiting for them to 'want' it?
Newbee. First year hive.
Thanks.
My Autumn Joy Sedum is in full bloom and is covered with fireflys and some wasps but no bees. My open feeding station ( in the same direction but three times as far away from the hives) is covered in bees, who drank down almost 4 gallons in 3 days. I did see a few bees on the sedum when it first started to bloom but there are none now.
How do you know that the bees on the 1:1 syrup are not yours?
also-just curious-why are you feeding away from & not in the hive? my mentor told me that even small spills near the hive can attract small hive beetles.
at this time of the year i feed at the hive with jars over the inner cover hole. i find that fewer yellowjackets are attracted to the are this way. when you do feed away from the hive, you need to feed way away. that way anything attracted to the syrup will be less apt to end up attacking the hives.
not all of us have SHB problems. those that do, need to adjust their feeding/care routines to minimize impact.