rwjedi
09-17-2004, 07:25 PM
If you feed are you feeding to the detriment of what they could collect from the flow that is on? Or will they hammer both? Currently the Hive is sucking down 1/2 gal of 3cups sugar to 2 cups water sometime over the course of 2 days (it's dry by time I check it). (I compromised) LOL not quite 1:1 and not 2:1. Thanks
stonybrook
09-17-2004, 08:45 PM
Hi RwJedi,
I have observed 2 kinds of behavior when feeding while a flow is on. I have both russian/carnolian hives and a few cordovan italian hives. From my own observation, my carnolians appear to take both the syrup rapidly and remain highly active collecting outside nectar and pollen (especially during the goldenrod & Japanese knotweed flown in late summer). My cordovans (and feral/cordovan queened hives) appear to be more likely to ignore the sugar syrup mixture during heavy honey flows. I feed all my hives with hivetop feeders and my above observations are based on this setup.
You can safely assume it is ok to feed them at any time. If they want the syrup, they will take it - the only real drawback I have seen is that if the bees do not take the syrup, and it sits for too long it will begin to ferment and go "sour".
-cheers