spraying sugar water when installing package bees

Janemma · April 21, 2008, 03:49:57 PM

I've been reading several articles/ books on installing my package bees. They all mention spraying the bees just before installing them. However they all seem to give different ratios for the water: sugar content of the syrup.

So what do YOU use?

And while on the subject. We are in the midst of a winter storm here in Alberta, and so the chance of having any decent nectar flow by the time my bees arrive is looking slim - I will still be feeding my bees for a while after they arrive. Again the books/ articles all seem to give different advice ratios for syrup for feeding. What do YOU use? I know not to boil the liquid so as not to caramelize the sugar..so hot water and how much sugar : water??????

And which ratio of sugar: water do I use to spray the pierco foundation frames with before installing?

Thank you!

BMAC · April 21, 2008, 04:06:38 PM

1:1 ratio especially if you are on foundation. Which it sounds like you maybe on foundation. If not you can use 1:2 Sugar:water

Janemma · April 21, 2008, 04:17:22 PM

Quote from: BMAC on April 21, 2008, 04:06:38 PM
1:1 ratio especially if you are on foundation. Which it sounds like you maybe on foundation. If not you can use 1:2 Sugar:water

Is that to spray on the bees? Or the pierco foundation? or to feed? Sorry...I'm a total beginner. Just want to be clear.

mgates61 · April 21, 2008, 04:27:49 PM

On the Bees. Make them moist, but don't drown them.

Mike

Bennettoid · April 21, 2008, 05:37:57 PM

1:1 by weight in the spring, for everything. I asked the president of our BeeKeepers assoc. this when I first started. He said to keep it simple you can use 5 pounds of sugar to a gallon of water, but that isn't really true 1:1. I believe 8 pounds of sugar to a gallon of water is closer to true 1:1, but I have yet to see an 8 lb. bag of sugar for sale at Walmart. 5lbs to a gallon seems to work fine.

BMAC · April 21, 2008, 05:43:49 PM

You can spray the frames too. That will help them draw out the frames. Also if nothing is in bloom right now you will want to give them a pollen patty and feed them 1:1 syrup after installing them. They need to get to work right away drawing comb and get the queen laying eggs.

Janemma · April 21, 2008, 06:09:37 PM

Thank you :)

Michael Bush · April 21, 2008, 09:26:57 PM

>So what do YOU use?

I don't. If I were to use syrup it would be 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water). But I don't.

Janemma · April 21, 2008, 09:54:30 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on April 21, 2008, 09:26:57 PM
>So what do YOU use?

I don't. If I were to use syrup it would be 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water). But I don't.

What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta? (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday) What would an alternative be? I would be very interested to know of all alternatives! thanks in advance!!

Michael Bush · April 21, 2008, 10:51:08 PM

>What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta? (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday) What would an alternative be? I would be very interested to know of all alternatives! thanks in advance!!

The alternative is to use nothing. I wouldn't want wet bees in cold weather. I don't want wet bees in nice weather. :) I just shake them into the hive.

Janemma · April 21, 2008, 10:55:40 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on April 21, 2008, 10:51:08 PM
>What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta? (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday) What would an alternative be? I would be very interested to know of all alternatives! thanks in advance!!

The alternative is to use nothing. I wouldn't want wet bees in cold weather. I don't want wet bees in nice weather. :) I just shake them into the hive.

Oh, no I meant to feed and to spray the frames too.....

Sorry, my original question had three parts. I totally understand about not wanting the bees to be wet in cold weather though.

Michael Bush · April 22, 2008, 08:13:07 AM

For feeding when it's below 50 F dry sugar works well. They will eat it to keep from starving and they can eat it when it's cold. For above 50 F, syrup works fine. A feeder that is closer to the cluster works better, like baggie feeders right on the top bars. As far as ratio the standard spring feed is 1:1. I find they do just as well on 2:1 and it keeps longer and I don't have to haul as much syrup to the yards.

Issues in feeding such as cold:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#feederissues

Ratios of syrup:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#ratios

The whole page on feeding:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm

Janemma · April 22, 2008, 03:09:52 PM

Thank you very much! Very helpful!