"MountainCamp Method" feeding questions.

[DaveKow]

I am feeling the need to do this with one of my hives.  Do you poke any holes in the newspaper, or just let them access from the sides and the front? 

Also, what is the minimum temperature that one would attempt to set this up?  I am getting worried cause I snuck a peek one day when it was about 26 degrees and they were at the top.  I could see them when I lifted one end of the top cover.  The other day I took a cup of sugar, popped the end of the cover and threw the sugar on the inner cover and closed it real quick.

Thanks.

[Kathyp]

when it is that cold, they are usually  not interested in food anyway.  wait for a warmer day. 

i put my dry sugar on the inner cover.  some put it on newspaper.  you can put a couple of small slit in th paper so that they don't have to go so far to access. 

if you are in a dry area, moisten the sugar with a few sprays of water.  one of the reasons i use the inner cover is that my area is so wet, the sugar helps absorb some of the moisture.  it helps keep moisture that blows in sideways from pooling and dripping from the inner cover.  for you, you may need to dampen the sugar in order for them to use it, and sugar inside my be a benefit to you in absorbing moisture inside.

[Ross]

I put down one sheet of newsprint on the top bars, leaving an inch on one end uncovered.  I dampen the newsprint.  This does a couple of things; it holds it in place; it hardens the bottom quicker; and it gets the bees feeding quicker.  I dump a pile of sugar on the damp newsprint, as much as 25# if needed.  I spray the pile to dampen the outside all over to set it.  It will harden the outside so the bees don't haul it out as trash.  I make sure there is a wet sugar edge where the top bars are uncovered (the one inch opening).  By the time I do that, they are usually starting to feed it they need it.  The reason I prefer contact with the top bars is so the bees don't have to break cluster to feed.