Feeding time

Shawn · December 02, 2008, 05:34:39 PM

Today is suppose to be in the high 60's so I thought I would feed. When I went to the hive I noticed the entrance was full of active bees coming and going. I opened the hive and saw all the dry sugar I put in there for an emergency was GONE! I filled the feeder up with syrup and poured more dry sugar on top of the frames, on a piece of construction paper. After about 30 minutes I noticed the coming and going had stopped except for a few bees. I guess they figured they dont need to fly for a couple of days because the food was now there.

1of6 · December 04, 2008, 08:43:28 PM

Shawn, how much and how quickly did they use it? Was there any left around the edges, or was it all gone? I just recently put mine on here. I put a lot more on than last year. Last year I only used about 8 pounds at a time, then patched the middle after they had eaten through.

Shawn · December 04, 2008, 10:46:24 PM

I guess I dont know what you are talkling about "how much." I poured 2 quarts of syrup in the feeder and it is gone in less than 2 days. There is no crystals left on the walls or on the bottom of the feeder. They clean everything out so good. I poured a cup of dry sugar on the construction paper and checked it about a week later and it was gone. I only open up on days it is close to the 60's and I dont think we'll have too many more of those days.

1of6 · December 05, 2008, 10:46:35 AM

Quote from: Shawn on December 04, 2008, 10:46:24 PM
I guess I dont know what you are talkling about "how much." I poured 2 quarts of syrup in the feeder and it is gone in less than 2 days. There is no crystals left on the walls or on the bottom of the feeder. They clean everything out so good. I poured a cup of dry sugar on the construction paper and checked it about a week later and it was gone. I only open up on days it is close to the 60's and I dont think we'll have too many more of those days.

How much is answered by "a cup". In order to feed in a quantity that will really amount to anything, be it for feed or moisture control, you need to feed more like in the 8 to 15 Pound range of dry sugar rather than just a cup.

Here's a picture of what I rate as a small pile:

Irwin · December 05, 2008, 10:48:33 AM

I don't see any pic.

1of6 · December 05, 2008, 11:57:41 AM

It's there now...

Shawn · December 05, 2008, 03:07:12 PM

Gotcha. I guess I will have to add on a super and put more in. Ill wait for the next warm day, hopefully soon.

Brian D. Bray · December 06, 2008, 09:01:13 PM

Quote from: Shawn on December 05, 2008, 03:07:12 PM
Gotcha. I guess I will have to add on a super and put more in. Ill wait for the next warm day, hopefully soon.

Turn the inner top so the deeper spacing side is down and then pile the granulated sugar onto the paper more or less evenly. Make sure the paper is cut so the bees can access the sugar from the sides. It should hold about a 4-5 lb bag without having to add spacers or supers.

Cindi · December 07, 2008, 10:18:37 AM

Quote from: Brian D. Bray on December 06, 2008, 09:01:13 PM
Quote from: Shawn on December 05, 2008, 03:07:12 PM
Gotcha. I guess I will have to add on a super and put more in. Ill wait for the next warm day, hopefully soon.

Turn the inner top so the deeper spacing side is down and then pile the granulated sugar onto the paper more or less evenly. Make sure the paper is cut so the bees can access the sugar from the sides. It should hold about a 4-5 lb bag without having to add spacers or supers.

Brian, this information is worth its weight in gold, good. Have a wonderful, awesome life and day, health. Cindi

1of6 · December 07, 2008, 10:40:57 AM

Quote from: Brian D. Bray on December 06, 2008, 09:01:13 PM
Quote from: Shawn on December 05, 2008, 03:07:12 PM
Gotcha. I guess I will have to add on a super and put more in. Ill wait for the next warm day, hopefully soon.

Turn the inner top so the deeper spacing side is down and then pile the granulated sugar onto the paper more or less evenly. Make sure the paper is cut so the bees can access the sugar from the sides. It should hold about a 4-5 lb bag without having to add spacers or supers.

Brian, Actually, The bees will cluster up underneath the sugar pile. It's ideal that they access the pile from underneath, this way during the winter they don't have to break the cluster to access feed. This is the beauty of this method in that it gives us a way to winter feed even when it's too cold for the bees to break the cluster. You can make the pile can go out to the edge on as many as 3 sides, just make sure that when you lay your newspaper down, it reaches part or post of the way up the side of whichever side where you intend to have sugar against the inner side of the super. If the colony drifts to either side, they won't run out quite as quick. The dome formed underneath the pile will also retain a small amount of heat, then when they break through the pile, it can just be patched with a new 'plug' of newspaper or paper towel, then filled again with sugar. I had to refill once last year on two hives.

Russians breaking through, ready for a patch:

As it warms they'll continue to clean it. It may not be as important to patch the hole when it get warmer because due to them being able to break cluster, but that's personal preference and personal judgment. Caution is perfectly fine there if one wants to patch. later as well.

Hungry Italians later close to spring:

toward the end of the winter/early spring, if they're not using it, you'll see them hauling it out, and you can just give them a personal assist by taking the last blocks out...

I hope this is useful or at least on target. I'm not countering Brian but I had been looking at it a little differently. Please let me know if I need recalibrated, but this is how it worked for me last year. I hope the photos are supportive.

Very respectfully,
-1of6

Irwin · December 07, 2008, 11:30:56 AM

WOW those are great pic's If my hive get's light I think I will give it a go.

Gware · December 07, 2008, 12:57:25 PM

excellent info for me thanks alot !! I need to feed mine right now.

Brian D. Bray · December 08, 2008, 03:31:55 AM

QuoteBrian, Actually, The bees will cluster up underneath the sugar pile. It's ideal that they access the pile from underneath, this way during the winter they don't have to break the cluster to access feed. This is the beauty of this method in that it gives us a way to winter feed even when it's too cold for the bees to break the cluster.

You are correct in pointing out the ommission in my directions...although I've found that just poking a few holes between the frames will suffice. I thought about it at the beginning of the post then forgot to add it in, it's sometimes hard to keep your mind focused when you're in a lot of pain.

Shawn · December 26, 2008, 11:42:51 AM

Ok I had a warmer day today and addd a super on. I laid down some newspaper and added some sugar. it seems there is a large gap now with the extra super. Will the bees loose too much heat this way? If the paper is clear across the frames do the bees chew threw the paper? Really worried they will be too cold now!!

Kathyp · December 26, 2008, 03:41:08 PM

shawn, for that reason, i pour sugar on the inner cover. it is true that i can not put as much on, but usually have enough days in 40s + that i can refill. i don't know if your weather will allow for that. something to consider.

Cindi · December 27, 2008, 01:19:27 PM

Quote from: kathyp on December 26, 2008, 03:41:08 PM
shawn, for that reason, i pour sugar on the inner cover. it is true that i can not put as much on, but usually have enough days in 40s + that i can refill. i don't know if your weather will allow for that. something to consider.

Kathy is there a hole in the inner cover that the bees come up to feed through? Have a great day, health. Cindi

LocustHoney · December 27, 2008, 03:35:42 PM

Haven't seen pics like that before. Good stuff. One question, do the bees prefer this granulated or the syrup? I am assuming that you feed this method due to winter time temps.

Kathyp · December 27, 2008, 05:14:27 PM

cindi, there is a hole in the center of the inner cover. in spring i put the jar feeders over that hole.

1of6 · December 27, 2008, 08:35:34 PM

Perhaps it's unfounded, but my personal fear about puting the sugar above the inner cover would be that unless the cluster came up right in the center of the box, they may not be able to access the sugar because the inner cover was in the way. This has always been my reasoning for moving the inner-cover up above the empty super.

Has anyone seen this issue in practice?

Brian D. Bray · December 27, 2008, 10:13:32 PM

Quote from: 1of6 on December 27, 2008, 08:35:34 PM
Perhaps it's unfounded, but my personal fear about puting the sugar above the inner cover would be that unless the cluster came up right in the center of the box, they may not be able to access the sugar because the inner cover was in the way. This has always been my reasoning for moving the inner-cover up above the empty super.

Has anyone seen this issue in practice?

In practive the inner top is left in place above the brood chamber, putting an empty super on the hive (unless using jar or can feeders) just creates a large open space that serves no purpose other than to suck heat out of the cluster area.
The space between the telescopic hive and the inner cover will hold about 5lbs of sugar. The bees can easily access this through the hole for the Porter bee escape without any change of configuration in the bee hive. Feeding granulated or powdered sugar to bees during the winter this way is a snap because the cluster doesn't have to be exposed as the inner top is not removed. Those inner tops that have been modified to hold feeder jars work just as well as the holes are slightly bigger and allow more bees access at one time.