How is the baggie feeding done?

[Davepeg]

Like a lot of people, we have started to feed our hives early this year due to the constant (and depressing) rain in the Northeast.  We have board feeders, some are placed at the entrance, others we have placed inside a top box.

I have seen many postings regarding using warm baggie feeders.  Can someone explain what and how this works?  Do you really use baggies?  How?

[tillie]

At this time of year you feed the bees 2:1 syrup.  I mix up 8 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water in a pot on the stove.  It has to heat for that amount of sugar to dissolve.  I let it boil about 1 minute for perfect syrup.

(Edit added 9/19:  Someone just posted on my blog that it works better to bring 4 cups of water to a boil and then stir in the sugar gradually.  That way you aren't in danger of overcooking the syrup which can make the bees sick.)

Let the syrup cool.  Then I put a gallon ziploc baggie in a stainless steel bowl and ladle the syrup into the baggie.  Close the baggie fully when you have put that much syrup into it (that amount 8 cups sugar, 4 water) will fill the baggie exactly the right amount.

Take the baggie to the hive and put it on top of the frames.  I've learned to set the baggie upright and very slowly lower it, allowing the bees to get out of the way.  I never squash them any more.  

When the baggie is lying flat on the tops of the frames, take a sharp knife and cut a couple of slits in the top half of the baggie.

You have to surround the baggie with a shim the size of the hive or with an empty hive box.  Put the inner cover on, then the top cover and you are ready to go.

Bees can go through this quite quickly as in over a couple of nights at this time of year.

Here are some pictures:
http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2009/08/feeding-bees-all-over-town.html

Hope that helps,

Linda T

[tillie]

P.S.

I didn't address what you call "warm" baggie feeders. 

This is one of the advantages of baggie feeding.  The baggie is inside the hive, directly over the hive workers.  If you are emergency feeding in winter, the cluster should be right under the baggie.  The heat of the cluster or the heat of the hive, as the case may be, will keep the syrup warm and easier for the girls to use.

Linda T

[Davepeg]

Linda,
Thanks for the pics of the baggie feeders - it helps to have a visual.  I was concerned that the slits in the bags would cause too much spillage into the frames - I guess that's not a problem?  We have switched to top feeders from the board feeders - easier to fill with less disruption to the girls.
peg

PS I love your site, one of the first that I visited a few years ago.  Learned how to do the crush method watching your video.  I still seem to get honey on me while doing anything at all with honey!

[ziffabeek]

Tillie,

I just read your green text above and my stomach clinched!! How much is over-cooking the sugar?  How can you tell?  How does it make the bees sick?

I have been bringing my sugar water to a boil, not for too long, but once it did boil for longer than i wanted and I ended up adding some more water so it wouldn't become candy and now I'm all worried!  I didn't know you could over-cook it, I just figured longer boiling sterilizes it, but might make it hard candy when it cools.

Have I poisoned my girls?
:'(

ziffa

[tillie]

I think if it caramelizes, it's bad for them.  If it cooks to a little thicker than 2:1, I don't think that's a problem.  Someone else may have more knowledge about this.

Ever since they posted that info on my blog, I've done it the other way....let the water boil and then add the sugar.  Actually the gradual adding of the sugar really means the syrup is at a boiling point for longer than one minute and my bees do not seem to be sick.

Linda T in Atlanta

[ziffabeek]

Ok, cool.  Thanks very much for the quick reply.  I'm kinda neurotic at times :).

I'm sure I haven't carmelized any yet, and I'm glad to know that I shouldn't feed them carmelized, not sure if I would have know that or not.

Thanks again for the good info. 

ziffa