Welfare Bees?

[Mairzy_doats]

I had a beek come out the other day to take a look at my hives. This is the first time I've gotten someone to do this. He told me what I was afraid he was going to say. That my bees have no honey. zip. nothing. I've got no idea what they've been doing all summer. Now it has been a bad honey year (according to him) but they were bringing in pollen like crazy all summer. Everytime I checked them though, I never saw any capped honey. He told me that he doubts that they make it through the winter even with feeding. Their numbers are small and with no stores my chances are slim. Not what I wanted to hear. After all the stumbling blocks I've had, this is really depressing. I hate to think that my stupidity caused this. Apparently somewhere I made a huge boo-boo? Or maybe I just have welfare bees? They like to live off the system I'm thinking.  :-D

So I mixed up 2:1 syrup yesterday and poured it in some poultry waterers and set it on top of the frames and put an empty super over and closed it all up. I watched for awhile to see if they even noticed, and after 10 minutes two bees figured it out. I went back today and they have sucked down a half gallon each and there is alot of activity going on. More than I've seen all season. I don't think its robbing, although I'm not sure I would notice robbing if they were pistol whipping me.  ;) I think its just a traffic jam. I put the entrance reducers on to prevent any problems with feeding since their numbers are so small. Now there is alot of congestion at the entrances.
I'm going to refill, but I'm wondering if I should leave the entrance reducers on since there is a jam at the entrance? Should I be making them a 5:3 syrup since its getting closer to winter (although it hasn't frosted here yet) or keep it at 2:1?

[contactme_11]

I would keep it at 2:1 but be really careful using poultry waterers for feeding syrup. I use them but it goes without saying that they can be a drowning hazard so throw some straw, pebbles or napkins or something in to prevent this. Also the bees like to go inside the little holes trying to get the last of the syrup and have trouble finding their way back out, I glue a little piece of screen over the holes on the ones I use.

[adgjoan]

Wow you found a beek to visit your bees?  I am just up the road from you in Independence.  do you belong to any clubs?

Joan

[Jack]

Many dry hives this year. Just hang in there as it is only a hobby. I have to believe there will be rewards to come.

[Mairzy_doats]

Yeah, I figured that about the waterers. Looks like a major drowning hazard so I dropped in a few rocks. Its only a temp solution till I get something better. I just happened to have those on hand.

Joan, as of yet I don't belong to any clubs. For some reason I can never get a babysitter so I decided to just locate a local beek or two to give advice, as well as scour the library and a few internet forums. The one beek was no help at all, kept telling me to let the bees do their own thing and never open the hives except to place apistan strips or take off honey. Told me I had no business being in the hive. The fella that came out is from Alexandria. Huge help that was, too. I still don't know why they have no honey, but if I can get em through the winter I'll be happy.  Nice to see someone near me on here.  :)

Thank you Jack. It is a hobby, albeit an expensive one. I am hopeful that the weather is better next year.  :)

mary