Sugar feeders

Ohio Tiller · Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:17 pm

Made a couple new sugar feeders this year and WOW do they like them!
https://vid80.photobucket.com/albums/j17 ... 38472c.mp4

rainbowgardener · Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:53 pm

wow! I never heard of feeding bees sugar in the summer (not that I know much about bee keeping). I have heard about sugar feeding through the winter. Does giving them sugar change the quality of the honey?

Rairdog · Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:23 am

I fed mine sugar syrup only because I started late in the year and they needed a kick start. From my research a 1:1 ratio is good for drawing comb. A 2:1 ration is used in fall for honey stores. It will make your honey taste like sugar. I plan on feeding them through winter because the hive isn't very strong. If they pull through the winter the will never get syrup again unless I make splits and they need some help. If you have the right amount of hive for your area they should never need syrup unless there is a drought or other unusual weather. I think most large apiaries supplement because they have too many hive for the given flora. Then they claim to be all natural organic but are not.

jal_ut · Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:11 pm

I suspect most beekeepers feed at some point. Yes, sugar water is the norm. Just white sugar mixed with water. There are several ways to feed the bees.
Bees are fed whenever they are low on stores of honey in the combs. New packages need to be fed for a while until they get some stores put up.

tomc · Sat Nov 15, 2014 5:44 pm

There are also in-hive feeders for winter feeding.

imafan26 · Tue Nov 18, 2014 2:02 am

Well, the bees here may not need to be fed since they are still visiting the herb garden every day and collecting pollen and nectar. I don't cut the basil and shiso so there are a lot of flowers for them to visit. I will have to replace my lavender again. The second one this year is a goner.

The hives were moved because of nearby road construction, and some of the bees were not very happy and tried to find their old home. They were attacking everyone in their path.

rainbowgardener · Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:03 pm

off topic, but what is happening to your lavender? Too wet for it? It really doesn't like too much water.