I was fiddling around my one and only hive the other day when I bumped it. The bees of course raised their voices. It was a concern to me that the majority of the bees were already in the top of the hive. I don't know if it was on account of staying warm or eating up the stores. So today after it passed 60 I opened them up to have a very quick peek. I looked at a couple frames in the top 8fm, a couple in the middle 8fd, and left the bottom one alone. The hive was wall to wall bees - with hardly any food left. There was brood and empty frames. I only checked 5 frames total maybe. So I plugged in two entrance feeders afterwards. They went to work in them pretty quick. I plan to feed 2:1 sugar/water w/ a spoon of apple cider vinegar & one of lemon juice at every opportunity for a while. One of them was kind enough to give me a sting on the forearm afterwards. They had plenty of stores going into fall. Like I've heard on here, "bees up north freeze out and bees down south starve out.
Yep, they found pollen somewhere today. Do yall see any problem with my feeding plan?
Yes, if intermittent. You now have to keep feed on them 24/7 without a let up, if you want to keep them. They have started brooding. They will continue to add mouths to feed. 3 days without feeding, and all will starve.
this is the most dangerous time of winter for us. if there was a brood break (good chance there was never a complete one) it's over. they start the build up now this is why i let them get nectar bound during the goldenrod flow, they have to eat their way into enough space to build up and it breaks or limits the brood cycle during the time of year when mites are at their highest. i've gone through a hive on a warm january day and seen several frames full of maple nectar that would be empty a couple of days later. i'll feed again today if i have the time and will keep feeding for the next month. i sent some into winter lower on stores than i like to.
Quote from: iddee on January 12, 2014, 11:16:35 PM
Yes, if intermittent. You now have to keep feed on them 24/7 without a let up, if you want to keep them. They have started brooding. They will continue to add mouths to feed. 3 days without feeding, and all will starve.
Agreed; Once 'spring' feeding has begun you must not stop until a flow begins. Feeding will encourage more activity from your queen, which depending on weather conditions can be both good or bad.
That said, they need the energy right now and will consume all you can provide, little if any will wind up in the empty cells.
You know, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate everyone on this forum. I have learned so much and with the advice I've got I'm sure I've avoided disasters. Thanks again. gary
Agree with the above posters on feeding - once brood rearing starts the reserves disappear.
You will be surprised at how little reserves the bees maintain in spring - usually a full size hives (2 deeps, the works) will maintain a reserve of about 2-3 frames of honey in the spring which is extremely low.