Feeding bees in winter

[JoelinGA]

I was wondering what is the best way to keep the girls fed during winter. I have been using hive top feeders, but after seeing a thread or so I've been working to make a feeder that all my colonies will make use of outside of the hive. Will they leave the hive in winter to forage for food?

Was wondering if I should just wait to get this setup next Spring and go with the Hive tops during the winter.

Thanks!

[mtman1849]

Anytime in the winter that the temp reaches 50 degrees the bees will fly.

[buzzbee]

It is better to have adequate stores before winter,and feed early in the spring if necessary.Uncapped honey can create a moisture prpoblem if it gets too cold.

[Card]

They will fly during warmer winter days (in the 50's or above, from what I understand) but I'm under the impression that they only leave the hive to take a dump, basically. Not to be indelicate about it, but bees don't crap in their hives. They hold it until it warms up a little and then go outside to "have a movement", so to speak.

But the point is that on those days, I don't think they'd have scouts out looking for food, and I don't think they'd have foragers out collecting food. They're just not expecting to find food laying around during the winter, you know?

Take this with a grain of salt, because I'm a new beekeeper and this will be my first winter with my bees too - but from what I've read and learned from asking questions, hive top feeders can create problems because A) the syrup can freeze in there -and- B) the water and cold temperatures causes condensation in the hive, which causes moisture issues.

So I'm feeding my girls as much as I can now before it gets cold, and once the frosty nights set in, I'm planning to use my entrance feeders only. I'll put them in the entrances on warmer days and during those spells of warm nights, but when it's colder I'll just pop them back out. Entrance feeders will also allow me to refill them without opening the hive, which is something I think we should avoid during the winter if we can.

[Two Bees]

I understand that bees will not move 1-2 inches to get food during the winter if it's cold.  They will starve instead of breaking the cluster.  Like some others have said here, they will move if the temps are warm enough to get food though.

Like Card, I will feed my bees to build up stores before the frosts which is typically in late October or early November where I live (earlier for you, Card!).  I use 1 gallon jars over the inner cover hole which puts the food really close to the cluster.

[octagon]

I was wondering what is the best way to keep the girls fed during winter. I have been using hive top feeders, but after seeing a thread or so I've been working to make a feeder that all my colonies will make use of outside of the hive. Will they leave the hive in winter to forage for food?

Was wondering if I should just wait to get this setup next Spring and go with the Hive tops during the winter.

Thanks!

you could make a candy board.

[Michael Bush]

Feeding is done in the fall, not in the winter.  Once the temps fall below 50 F in the daytime they won't take any syrup.  Even at 50 in the daytime, if the syrup doesn't warm up to 50 they still won't take it.

[1of6]

Agreed with all.  Feed now, that way you don't have to take emergency measures.

If you do encounter a situation during the winter where you need to 'emergency feed', you can add the following to your setup - a lot of us refer to this as the "MountainCamp Method".  You can search beesource for the threads (and there are a lot of them) or there's plenty of us here that can talk with you about it.  This is very handy knowledge to have in your back pocket should the need arise.  I limped a couple weak hives through last winter with this setup, and was very happy with the results.

[bmacior]

Wouldn't covering the top of the frames so solidly prevent water vapor from moving up and hopefully out of the hive, causing condensation to drip water unto and chilling the cluster?

[Ross]

Actually, the sugar absorbs the water vapor preventing condensation.  It works very well.

[1of6]

Here's the beauty.  The moisture is absorbed by the sugar pack.  I can tell you that this does wonders in controlling the moisture within a hive, but in all fairness, a well ventilated hive should really not have moisture problems.  A slight upper opening will allow much better ventilation and help alleviate the moisture problem.

If set up incorrectly, this sugarpack can result in some problems, but it is pretty simple to do.  Don't let the paper hang out of the box.  It can wick moisture from outside the hive back into the hive.  Also, leave a gap between the edge of the paper and the sides of the box on at least 2 sides, preferably on 3 or 4 sides.  Another post on beesource showed where someone wicked moisture into their hive.  I noticed a little frost in my one hive, but fixed that by pulling the paper back a little bit:


Hope this helps.  Please ask if you have more questions.

[Moonshae]

What is winter in Georgia? if it never drops below 50, you have a lot of options. Most of the suggestions here are from people accustomed to colder winters...real winter.

[ArmucheeBee]

Weather in GA.
Rome and Fayetteville, GA are going to be similar in temps.  In Jan. and Feb. were going to drop to freezing almost ever night, but then it almost always gets up to the 50's during the day.  Some days will be 70.  Jan/Feb. are our coldest month now based on averages.  For the last few years Christmas has seen temps in the 70's.  I live north of Rome in a valley and we may get a little colder than Fayetteville, lots of concrete there if your in the city.  I would think a chick waterer placed inside the hive would do pretty good until it got down in the 20's.  But then you would have to open the hive more to restock.

[bmacior]

Weather sounds good to me.  I'm ready to move. :)  Actually the company did move us from up north (Montana) to Albuquerque a few years ago, but hubby was homesick (hunting, fishing, grandkids) so we're back up north. :(

Thanks for the info on doing sugar for the winter.

[1of6]

The points about the warmer weather are valid IFF the weather will be warm enough on a consistent basis for the bees to break cluster during the day.

Y'all are absolutely right though about keeping this in context of location/climate.  Our winters here can pack a punch where the bees may not be able to break cluster for quite a while - sometimes up to two or close to three months if it's a rough winter.  These sugar packs work well for me up here because the bees never have to break cluster, they just more right up into them and cluster right in them.

Moonshae and Armucheebee, your posts were pretty sharp - many of us, myself included, sometime overlook that one crucial detail - Location.  Good posts.

[bmacior]

what sugar packs?