Just had my first look at my hive the other day. I?m in central Ontario and we?ve had wild swings in weather the last couple of weeks. Insanely freezing followed by, yesterday, 15o C with 19o predicted for today. I know this won?t last but I hope we don?t go back to the -20 range. Anyway, my hive has two brood boxes topped with an inner cover and then an empty box on top of that. The top box had a couple of pillows of insulation in it, but with some space underneath where I have put sugar cakes. They come up from through the hole to eat. Is it too early to put sugar syrup in there for them? They?re eating the sugar cakes but I know that syrup is easier for them to consume. I?ve taken out some of the insulation but left the wrap and entrance reducer on the hive.
The syrup, not the air, has to be above 13 C. Before they can use it.
The air they are in needs to be above 7 C. for them to move about to use anything, including bricks or honey.
Keep in mind it is the temperature inside the hive that controls what they can do. With all that insulation on top, it helps keep in some of their heat.
Jim Altmiller
With these warm days they are extremely active. Lots flying around, going in and out. I assume the hive is much warmer inside than the air outside. Looking at the next 10 days, temps are going to be above zero during the day and below zero at night. (Perfect maple tapping weather, actually.) I will give them some syrup. Worried about them starving to death with all the activity and unknown stores down below. (I haven?t looked below the inner cover to see what?s going on - will do that when the weather is more stable.)