Lake weed flowers ??

[twintrades]

I live on a lake and with in a week the arrow root weeds are gonna bloom. Honeys use them ? I have a 1:1 syrup feed going on and im wondering if they switch to the lake weeds when they bloom. Or if they wont use them. Flowers are blue purple.

[Kaisa]

I'm not sure if you're talking about the same plant but apparently honeybees do frequent arrow-head (sagittaria).  Even if your bees find other forage they might not switch away from your sugar syrup though. In a project we have going in areas where there is not much forage we're finding that sugar syrup consumtion is more related to hive strength than to forage availability. Feeding your bees sugar syrup also might increase foraging for pollen rather than for nectar.

[twintrades]

There blooming now and i saw a honey on them.  So should i switch off the syrup ?? I was just feeding it so they would build up faster. My queeen is laying good she just really started to pick up the pace wheni started to feed. My plan is to switch off feeding when i get the second deep going.

[Kaisa]

I can't give you advise on switching off the syrup since I've not got enough experience. You should field that question with the others using a different subject heading to get  some answers.

[AllenF]

How old are the bees and how many frames do you have drawn out?   That is what really needs to be answered.   Normally you shut off the feed once they are strong enough to take care of themselves and there is forage out there.   

[twintrades]

Well there from a cutout and these haven't drawn any frames out yet. There only using 3 frames right now for brood. The other frames had been filling up with syrup pollen and nectar. I have a 2nd deep above them for when they decide they want to expand. Just waiting for them to decide what they want to do.