Granulated sugar in the hive

[jester7891]

  I was using sugar water up to about 2 weeks ago when members said that was not a good idea I believe due to moisture buildup at this time of the year (I live in NW NJ).  I placed granulated sugar on newspaper on the top frames with a shim for the bees to move about.  It got pretty cold here a few days ago but was around 65 degrees today.  I opened up both hives very quickly today and lots of bees were on the sugar moving about.  They probably decreased the pile by 20-25% in 7-10 days.  How long do I keep the sugar there?  When should I remove it?
                          Thanks,
                                            Jester

[Kathyp]

i keep mine on all winter.  there is no harm in having it there and it's a bit of insurance against them starving before you realize it.

[BeeHopper]

Yep, what she said  :)

[Michael Bush]

I'd leave it until the spring flow.  I might even supplement it at the rate they are going.  You can always wet a bag of sugar and add it to what is there without worrying about it dumping down through the hive.

[Cindi]

Again, trying to bring stuff back from the fragments of my mind.  It seems to me that when one puts sugar on top of the frames, with the newspaper below, that it can hold an incredible amount of sugar in there.  I am not sure if a shim is necessary, the room between the top bars and the inner cover is quite great.

Does anyone recall a post being made about this amount of room?  I wonder where I got this memory from, a little help here would be good.

Kathy, define clearly how you put dry sugar on the colony for wintertime.  I have always wondered deeply about this.

I know that I have a hole in my inner cover that I sometimes leave the plug just a little bit open so I can put feed on top of the inner cover (with a shim in place so I can put LOTS in there, like honey stuff).  This allows bees to move up onto the inner cover that is warm because of the heat from the colony.  I was thinking of putting dry sugar on top of this inner cover as extra insurance, but do wonder if it would work as well as right over the top bars, thinking, thinking, thinking.  Have that most beautiful day, health. Cindi

[Joelel]

Do they make honey out of sugar or just sugar water ?

[Jack]

sugahoneywater

[Michael Bush]

I use an empty box to make room.  I put 30 pounds or so (eight frame medium box) in the box.

[adgjoan]

Do you guys think the sugar helps absorb the extra moisture in the hive?

Joan

[Michael Bush]

>Do you guys think the sugar helps absorb the extra moisture in the hive?

If you have a top entrance I don't think this is significant, but yes, it will.

[Cindi]

>Do you guys think the sugar helps absorb the extra moisture in the hive?

If you have a top entrance I don't think this is significant, but yes, it will.

As I follow this thread this is really opening up a lot of thoughts with me and probably others too.  Moisture in the colony over winter is really a bad thing, we all know that.  Now I'm gettin' to a'thinkin' that perhaps some dry sugar on top of the colony also serves a couple of GOOD purposes, there in case of emergency feeding requirements for the bees, to gather any moisture that becomes excess.  I have read that it might be a good idea to spray that sugar with some water to entice the bees, but probably not necessary as the humidity from the colony does this job anyways, all on its own.  I'm rethinking how I may be getting my lone colony through the winter, but this is only a rethinking thing.  I think I have the moisture thing under control with the slots in my inner cover, but thinking, deeper and deeper and deeper, oops, might go into a trance here, smiling.  Have that wonderful and most awesomely great day, with health.  Cindi

[Kathyp]

cindi, that's what my sugar does.  provides emergency food and absorbs moisture.  i never dampen mine!  you know how it is here :-)

[adgjoan]

I had to close the top enterance to keep the robbers out.  when should I open it back up?

Joan