Warm Temps coming

[Terry N]

In Central Pa. is it OK to start some sugar syrup?

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#stimulativefeeding

[1of6]

Terry, I'm just down the road in Lilly.  Most likely too early for our area to keep it warm enough for them to be able to take.  With temps in the teens last night we've got a little bit to go yet.  How are they on leftover stores?  Mine came through with a good amount in reserve.

-Doug

[BrentX]

Just a little south of you...my one  hive that has been light on stores has been drawing down the syrup big time ONLY on warm days.  If the temperature is near or above 50F they pull down a pint a day.  However there have been long spells to cold for them to take any.  It was warm enough a couple days ago to get in and confirm they have some stores left, and I was able to add some honey.  So they are finishing off their last syrup dose for a while.

When its warm enough to fly about 1 in four returning bee are bringing in pollen...suggesting that both nectar and pollen are currently available.   

[1of6]

Terry,
To give a little local perspective - I opened up many of my boxes yesterday.  Still a lot of stores left.  On my boxes that were 3-deep, I checkerboarded.  On the 2-deeps, I mostly reveresed anywhere needed.  I have a couple 2-deeps that I had to leave alone because they spanned 2 boxes, so I just did a little chekerboarding around them.  I had a couple 3-deeps that were still very heavy, so I moved some frames around to make sure all 3-deeps were checkerboarded with similar amounts of weight.

I'd say check to see how much they still have stored before you feed.  From what I saw of mine, if I were to feed any of mine sugar-water, I'd crowd too much and probably just induce early swarming.  Mine were opening stored honey as I opened the boxes, and in many hives brood rearing is already gearing up pretty well.  I can tell at this point that I'll need to check back soon to ensure that space is being freed up and the leftover stores are being used up, lest I need to add more space sooner than later.