Hello members,
I?m in Cincinnati. Had pretty good success with Mountaincamp, both in terms of providing food for the bees and absorbing moisture. However each March I?m perplexed with when to remove the leftover dry sugar and switch over to liquid sugar feeding. Would appreciate any advice from those more experienced than me in year 4.
TC
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I have no more experience than you and haven?t fed sugar in the winter, but I would feed syrup once lows are mostly above freezing.
I give syrup in the fall/winter on up until it gets really cold.
I?m in a totally different climate though.
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For me it is when I think it?s time for spring inspections. That can vary depending on the weather and resources coming in, namely pollen. When pollen starts coming in heavily in my program is when the hive is opened and excess sugar is removed, hive is inspected and sugar water is started, (if needed).
I use Mountian camp for the same two reasons you described. Are you happy with the results? I for one am very happy with this two fold method.
Phillip
When I go. From Solid Feed to liquid feed... (If needed). In the springtime... Is when a good solid pollen source is coming in.. Where I live in New England. It is mainly Maple tree blossoms... In the Spring time.
BEE HAPPY Jim134 :smile:
According to Rusty Burlew on HoneyBeeSuite.com, bees will ignore liquid syrup if it is colder than 50F, so the bees really need to be unclustered for them to take liquid syrup. If the bees are not clustered, the hive is probably warm enough for the syrup to be warm. Remember that syrup has a high heat capacity, it takes a long time to warm up, so if your nights are cold, your syrup will be cold for most of the day.
Quote from: The15thMember on March 23, 2022, 01:37:47 PM
According to Rusty Burlew on HoneyBeeSuite.com, bees will ignore liquid syrup if it is colder than 50F, so the bees really need to be unclustered for them to take liquid syrup. If the bees are not clustered, the hive is probably warm enough for the syrup to be warm. Remember that syrup has a high heat capacity, it takes a long time to warm up, so if your nights are cold, your syrup will be cold for most of the day.
I agree Reagan and Rusty is right if the syrup is placed as Boardman type feeding. Rarely if ever will the bees go down for food below that temperature is my experience as well. Usually when pollen comes in heavy nectar is also available.
The bees will ease up on feed when nectar starts coming in.
As far as other type feeders, I do not know about frame feeders or if Rusty was referring to frame feeding? Again the bees would have to move to the frame feeder to get it. I for one do 'not have' that hands on experience. I can say from my own personal experience, using an upside down jar feeder 'through a jar size opening on the 'flat' top board', (no inner cover), will be taken at much lower temperatures. Even when the bees are not to flying, which is just what the doctor ordered in early spring days and cold snaps.
Phillip
Quote from: Ben Framed on March 23, 2022, 02:08:06 PM
I agree Reagan and Rusty is right if the syrup is placed as Boardman type feeding. Rarely if ever will the bees go down for food below that temperature is my experience as well. Usually when pollen comes in heavy nectar is also available.
The bees will ease up on feed when nectar starts coming in.
As far as other type feeders, I do not know about frame feeders or if Rusty was referring to frame feeding? Again the bees would have to move to the frame feeder to get it. I for one do 'not have' that hands on experience. I can say from my own personal experience, using an upside down jar feeder 'through a jar size opening on the 'flat' top board', (no inner cover), will be taken at much lower temperatures. Even when the bees are not to flying, which is just what the doctor ordered in early spring days and cold snaps.
Phillip
I doubt she was talking about Boardman feeders, as she strongly doesn't recommend them. I'm sure that a warm hive full of bees could warm up the syrup in a jar or frame feeder in many cases. Like everything in beekeeping, it just depends. :grin: But if the bees aren't clustered, I think temps are such that liquid feed will definitely work.
TC: 40 days before first flow. Or when the dry sugar is gone. Or when you get to it. I usually get to scrape some combs off the outer cover where they've started to fill the shim by the time I get to it.
You can use a jar/bucket feeder in the heat column over the brood nest. If you are getting cold snaps put some insulation (extra smoker fuel will do in a pinch) around the feed bucket.
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The bees will remove it if you don't sweeting the soil around the hive and feeding the ants.
Ben FramedQuoteFor me it is when I think it's time for spring inspections. That can vary depending on the weather and resources coming in, namely pollen. When pollen starts coming in heavily in my program is when the hive is opened and excess sugar is removed, hive is inspected and sugar water is started, (if needed).
I use Mountian camp for the same two reasons you described. Are you happy with the results? I for one am very happy with this two fold method.
Phillip
Ben FramedQuoteI can say from my own personal experience, using an upside down jar feeder 'through a jar size opening on the 'flat' top board', (no inner cover), will be taken at much lower temperatures. Even when the bees are not to flying, which is just what the doctor ordered in early spring days and cold snaps.
The15thMemberQuoteI'm sure that a warm hive full of bees could warm up the syrup in a jar or frame feeder in many cases. Like everything in beekeeping, it just depends. :grin: But if the bees aren't clustered, I think temps are such that liquid feed will definitely work.
When liquid feed is placed as described, with-in an inch of the top frames, the bees will take it readly in a similar fashion as mountain camp on the days too 'cool' for bees to fly even on days 'below' 50. Perfect insurance, and the exposed jar of feed 'does not' have to be warmed. I'm not speaking of a week of below freezing winter weather, but of those occasional cool snaps that will come along in Spring during times of a heavy pollen flow, when it is cool enough to keep our bees from flying. Just a little extra help if needed. I hope this helps..
Phillip