Spraying sugar syrup on foundation

Poppi · March 10, 2012, 08:16:33 PM

Spraying sugar water on new frames with foundation when installing a package of bees... is it beneficial or does it really make any difference in how fast they draw comb... I have read that sugar/h2O and HB Healthy is a stimulant... my question is it beneficial?

theriverhawk · March 10, 2012, 09:40:26 PM

I have found it to be very helpful in getting bees to move up and start working foundation. It, also, helps if you are either feeding or a real flow is on. I have used straight sugar water and have used it with HBH in it. Could definitely tell a difference with the HBH

Michael Bush · March 11, 2012, 12:30:42 AM

I think it helps more with plastic. Getting them to lick it clean gets bee smell on it and plastic smell off of it.

Finski · March 11, 2012, 03:20:25 AM

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That makes the hive only dirty. Bees draw the combs without that trick.

When bees draw ten foundations to combs, they need to it 5 kg sugar. A little spraying helps nothing.

If package occupye 5 frames, try first with 2 kilos.

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Poppi · March 12, 2012, 06:28:50 PM

I think with this "early" spring and things are blooming... I have pulled off the feeder and I did spray two of the frames and of course they were plastic. The rest are no foundation... no point in spraying... what I understand if a flow is going you don't need to do much else than watch timing for adding supers and watch for swarming... it's great because they are building comb quickly and I don't think HBH should be used when you add supers for honey.

This is an unusual spring for sure but I'm treating this as late April in SC. Hope we don't get a late freeze that has happened in the past.. I think it would cause a real problem for everything.

I thought the reason for putting beeswax coating on the foundation was to stimulate comb draw...

I just heard someone say the sugar syrup spray... helped... how woud I know if it did or did not... bees in the natural don't have plastic bottles with sugar water to spray.... I'm thinking the best thing is to leave them alone as much as possible. Was just curious about something that sounded a little strange to me. Thanks for the replies, riverhawk, Michael, Finski...

backyard warrior · March 12, 2012, 07:34:33 PM

I feel that spraying the frames with sugar syrup helps from what i have seen it causes them to go onto the frames and accept them and seem to start drawing out the foundation faster. Chris

Finski · March 13, 2012, 03:22:33 AM

Quote from: backyard warrior on March 12, 2012, 07:34:33 PM
I feel that spraying the frames with sugar syrup helps from what i have seen it causes them to go onto the frames and accept them and seem to start drawing out the foundation faster. Chris

but I know that it does not help. Bees draw the foundations when it is proper time. I they do not need new combs, they do not draw them. Question is not at all about "accept".

Ben Framed · May 31, 2023, 08:06:47 PM

Interesting views from an older topic. Does anyone else have experience with this, or thoughts they might like to share?

Phillip

Michael Bush · June 01, 2023, 06:30:37 AM

As Finski said, they draw combs when they need them. But I have seen delays because of acceptance of plastic. On wax it doesn't matter, but sometimes they hesitate on plastic. But waxing them is more helpful than syrup.

Bill Murray · June 23, 2023, 03:31:07 PM

My opinion wax them, even if purchased waxed. they will draw them faster.

Sundog · June 24, 2023, 02:03:24 PM

A bit off topic, but... I had been feeding syrup to a hive to help them make wax to draw out an added super. I was feeding them inside the hive with another super body over the top cover.

I thought the syrup container was empty and when I went to lift it, the contained still had a bunch of syrup in it and spilled onto the top cover and into the frames.

All the bees immediately went down inside to chase the syrup and everything in this normally calm hive went even calmer. Even all the flyers went back down inside.