Should I stop feeding sugar syrup?

craneman54 · August 03, 2015, 09:49:16 AM

I have been feeding sugar syrup since I got my first swarm in April. I am wondering if I should stop feeding them before the late summer flow starts. The hives are very full of sugar syrup.Yesterday I did a full inspection on one of my hives and had to cut out some crosscomb. When I was done I tasted some of the sugar syrup and it was very sweet but didn't taste like real honey. I am thinking maybe once the flow starts I can but the sugar honey in the freezer, put empty suppers on the hives as needed then harvest the honey and replace with the sugar honey for winter feed.

Any advice would be very helpful and appreciated.

flyboy · August 03, 2015, 01:58:25 PM

I am kind of guessing but if the syrup you were tasting was uncapped, it is immature honey. Immature honey can be up to 80% liquid. The bees fan it and let it dry out gradually till it is about 20% liquid and then they cap it and then it tastes like honey.

Basically you should keep feeding till next year as they need the syrup (uncapped syrup/honey) and feeding to make it through the winter.

Dallasbeek · August 03, 2015, 02:03:34 PM

Look at the locations of Flyboy and Cranesman54. Location makes worlds of difference.

craneman54 · August 03, 2015, 02:17:57 PM

One piece of the comb was uncaped and the other was capped.Both tasted about the same and both were very clear with a very light color to them.

My set up is 2 brood boxes and 2 honey supper right now. They are almost honey bond. I was thinking seeing as we don't have as bad or as long a winter as people up north do, removing the sugar syrup and let them make real honey during the coming flow I could get honey for myself and them put back the sugar syrup after the flow.

Also the queen seems to be cutting down on laying as there were a decent amount of capped cells, very few open larva and I could find no eggs. The no eggs could be from my bad eyes also.The frames don't seem to be short on workers but this is my first year so I am only guessing here.

Michael Bush · August 03, 2015, 04:47:33 PM

>I have been feeding sugar syrup since I got my first swarm in April.

I'm not in LA, but I would have stopped feeding about April 15 here...

craneman54 · August 03, 2015, 08:03:20 PM

Michael Bush

QuoteI'm not in LA, but I would have stopped feeding about April 15 here...

Would that be for the same reasons I am asking about?

GSF · August 03, 2015, 10:08:03 PM

honeybound = swarmy

She may be sliming down to take flight. Look for swarm cells, if you see one I'd split, moving the queen out.

craneman54 · August 03, 2015, 10:56:49 PM

I didn't see any swarm cells,but then I wasn't looking for them. Will check tomorrow. I will also put another super on top as added precaution. Maybe set up a swarm box near by as well.

Thanks

Joe D · August 03, 2015, 11:37:18 PM

If they are getting honey bond you may want to put the new super next to brood and not on the top. Queen may not cross the honey to get to new place to lay.

Joe

craneman54 · August 04, 2015, 12:18:08 AM

OK will do thanks.

Michael Bush · August 04, 2015, 10:04:47 AM

I'd rather they had honey for winter feed, not sugar. I'd rather harvest honey, not sugar. I'd rather the queen had room to lay and the brood nest wasn't clogged with syrup. I'd rather they had natural food instead of artificial. I'd rather they got all the antioxidants and health benefits. I'd rather they weren't getting robbed and attacked by ants, which feeding often sets off...

craneman54 · August 04, 2015, 11:57:48 PM

Well you hit on all the reasons I thought of even some I hadn't mentioned.

Due to life getting in the way I was unable to tend to the hive today but I will try again tomorrow.