When to stop feeding a new package?

[Nonprophet]

Installed my first package a week ago Friday. I'm using a 10 frame deep with 9 frames and a frame feeder. I went into the hive late Sunday to make sure the Queen was out of her cage (she was) and to check the feeder. They'd been using it--good. Went in this past Friday to check the feeder, it was about 1/3 full. I refilled it. Checked on hive this morning because I wanted to decrease the hive entrance more, while open I checked feeder and in 3 days it was only 1/4 full! There is TONS of stuff in bloom on our property right now, at least 20 cherry, apple, and pear trees within 100-300 yards of the hive, and I can see the girls coming back with pollen on their legs......so, when do I stop feeding them?

Many thanks!

NP

[capt44]

If you use something in the syrup like Pro Health or Honey Bee Healthy it will keep the sugar syrup from fermenting.
With the new foundations it takes a lot of energy for the bees to fill them out.
But if the bees quit using the syrup I'd stop or slow down the feeding.
When the bees are finding lots of forage then they will stay away from the syrup.

[Caelansbees]

It's a package. Might also want to start thinking in gallons and some kind of top feeder. Your gonna get tired of going in there to feed them while they are drawing comb.  I put a gallon on mine each Sunday and they were bone dry today. Month old packages.
Also not sure of your area but pollen doesn't always mean nectar here.  I will feed a package until sept and keep giving it new foundation to draw for itself for next years production.

[Joe D]

I caught a swarm Sunday, put them in a 10 frame deep with mostly drawn comb.  I put a 1/2 gal jar on the board man feeder.  I have several jars, filled one, went down to new hive, replaced the one from Sunday,almost empty, with a new one.  They are within 20 ft of a 5 acrea field of Crimson Clover and Hairy Fetch.  I will  probly feed for a while.  Good luck to you and your bees.



Joe

[beehappy1950]

I think if you have enough stuff blooming I would get the feeder out of there. They should have plenty of feed put up by now. I see you said you were using 9 frames and a frame feeder. Aint that kinda tight. Hard to work the hive without rolling some bees. Personally I only use 8 frames with a feeder. Or 9 without . Spread them out some. Even in the supers I use 9 so the bees fatten up the combs so they are easy to uncap. Just a thought for you. Someone else might give you there opinion too.

[Nature Coast Beek]

@OP

How many frames have been drawn out enough for the queen to lay into? If you're after honey this year I would keep feeding until all the comb is drawn in all the brood boxes. I wouldn't stop feeding until I knew that the main flow was very close at hand and had honey supers going on.

My .02, it's worth about what you paid for it...

[Michael Bush]

I would stop when they have some capped stores and there is nectar coming in.

[Evan W]

I agree with Michael Bush, keep feeding until they start capping stores. With a new package even if there is a flow you still should supplement feeding since the population of workers is not the same as an existing hive. Also if there is undrawn foundation the bees will use a lot to draw out comb, you would rather them use syrup than nectar to do this I think. I have heard too that if you want them to draw out comb to feed a higher sugar syrup ratio than 1:1.

[Intheswamp]

<snip> I have heard too that if you want them to draw out comb to feed a higher sugar syrup ratio than 1:1.

I've mostly understood the opposite of this...that 1:1 stimulates wax making and brood rearing and that the higher sugar contents are for giving the bees a thicker syrup to store in the fall.  :?

Ed

[mikecva]

First, welcome to bee keeping. :cheer:

I keep feeding 1:1 until the nectar is in good flow. Since that time keeps changing each year, I watch the bees, they will meet on the landing board and stand face to face as they pass the nectar from mouth to mouth (bees with nectar will give up their goodies outside the hive, bees with pollen will go into the hive.) I also give mine a pollen patty while they build up. I plan on feeding for about 5-6 weeks and stop when the bees are ready.  -Mike

[Intheswamp]

<snip> Since that time keeps changing each year, I watch the bees, they will meet on the landing board and stand face to face as they pass the nectar from mouth to mouth (bees with nectar will give up their goodies outside the hive, bees with pollen will go into the hive.) <snip>

Great observation and information!  It makes sense!  Thanks for sharing, Mike!!!

Ed

[Georgia Boy]

So that is what they are doing. I have been watching my new pkg and saw the girls swapping something in the entrance and was wondering what it was.

Thanks.

David

[Michael Bush]

If I feed, I always feed 5:3.  It keeps better, is easier to haul around and the bees will build just as much comb with it...

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

[Georgia Boy]

So Michael, just so I truly understand, and I did read your link on sugar water. A 5lb bag of sugar and 3 pints of water will get me a 5:3 ratio. Or did I miss the boat? And I do miss the boat quite often. :)

Thanks

David

[mikecva]

Water weighs 8.345404 lb per gallon (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/subsection1_4_2_0_7.html) I make mine just over 1:1 using 3 Gal. of water (~25 lbs) to 30 lbs of sugar. Just because they are easy to measure out without guessing.  -Mike

[Michael Bush]

> A 5lb bag of sugar and 3 pints of water will get me a 5:3 ratio.

Yes.