feeding dry sugar

[ronwhite3030]

i have seen topics about feeding dry sugar instead of mixing up sugar syrup, if i were to do this do i just place the sugar on top of the inner cover or should i place it inside the hive, or should i pour it into a division board feeder please help me out on this one i really want to build a lot of hives this next year and would like to figure out the best way to not work harder then I have to and be the most efficient.

[winginit]

I am no expert and I expect those more experienced to chime in, but I fed dry sugar and here are the mistakes I made:
1. Didn't get it wet enough and some fell through, getting trapped between bottom screen and bottom board. When I cleaned it out--by shaking it into the weeds--I attracted tons of bees, solitary wasps, yellow jackets, etc. This frenzy set off robbing.
2. I put syrup above the inner cover when I first started and got ants. So now I put everything inside the hive, on the frames (inside an empty super). I do not know how I'll handle this in the Winter when I don't have an empty super. I might try the sugar candy for winter, and replace one frame with it. Looking for suggestions on this.
3. For feeding dry sugar, I put heavy paper down then the sugar on top. (I now put the sugar in an empty coffee jar, add water, and shake. This way I can make sure it's wet and it's easy to transport). The bees eat through the paper and leave holes in it. It's hard to move the sugar if you want to inspect. But it's easier to feed this way. They seem to go through 4 pounds pretty fast, though. I don't know why people don't just put it in a bowl?

[Kathyp]

dry sugar is not a substitute for stored honey or syrup.  it is for emergency feeding  over winter.  i always put some one because i don't know when i'll be able to get into the hives.  if you live in a dry area, you  may want to dampen it a bit with a spray bottle.  if you live in a wet area, as i do, you don't need to dampen it.  it will absorb moisture.

[Michael Bush]

I've done it on the side of some frames with no feeder, with a division board feeder and on top of newspaper on top of the top bars.   I would not go on top of the inner cover.  The big advantage of dry sugar is that they can eat it when it's cold, but they cannot if they have to leave the cluster to do so.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#drysugar

[ronwhite3030]

thanks michael