Yes I'm a newbee. Installed two packages last Saturday and checked yesterday and all is well. One thing I'm not sure about is they have stored lots of syrup in cells, lots. I started out with two quarts in baggie feeders. All of that is gone and added a quart in a entrance feeder and within a few hrs all of that is gone. Should I now feed for a few days?
Thanks
Unless you installed the packages on drawn comb, the bees are spending lots of energy drawing new comb right now. They need lots of syrup to help them do that. I'd be careful about the entrance feeders though. They can cause robbing.
It's totally normal and necessary to feed new packages for a few weeks. The only problem would be if they are backfilling the brood nest. Is the syrup being stored in a band of cells at the top of the comb or in the entire comb? Are you seeing eggs and larvae?
New foundation in both hives. Yes have lots of eggs and syrup is around the top and sides. May go back to baggie feeders and just keep a watch on them building in the empty supper I use for covering the baggie.
Thanks
Danny
Quote from: dprater on April 20, 2012, 08:39:00 PM
New foundation in both hives. Yes have lots of eggs and syrup is around the top and sides. May go back to baggie feeders and just keep a watch on them building in the empty supper I use for covering the baggie.
Danny, you might think about using Miller top feeders. Just a box that sits on top of the brood nest box and has a screen to separate the feeding bees from the syrup. They don't work so well in colder climates but in SC they should work well. Easy to fill without disturbing the bees.