Feeding New Bees

[jak61]

Got two packages of bees started last Saturday in my new hives. Both have front feeders on them and I am feeding them corn syrup. They do not seem to be feeding much at all yet. Is this normal for the first week or so? Will be getting into the hives tomorrow to see if the queens have gotten out of their little queen cages and also check what is going on in the hives. Any info on this feeding issue will be greatly appreciated as I am new to this hobby. Thanks.

[alpha6]

Dump the front hive feeder. Take off your hive cover Place an empty super on your hive on your inner cover. Take the bottle and cap with hole in it and place it over the hole of the inner cover. (full of sugar water, 1:1, of course) If you don't have an inner cover, no problem. Get two flat sticks and place them across your top bars. Place the jar on these then replace the top cover.

This will position the 1:1 right above the brood nest. It will cut down on robbing of your bees if there are others and the syrup will stay warmer inside the hive so they can feed longer. If it is in the front entrance and it gets cold at night the syurp is going to get cold and the bees won't feed on it till it warms up enough.

One last thing. Make sure you bottle and top don't leak. Test it to see it holds a vacuum. If it doesn't chunk it and get a one quart or better jar with a screw on top and put about 5 holes the size of just the point of a small nail in it. It should create a vacuum if its full right after you flip it.

Good luck with your bees.

[jdb1930]

Use 12 cups of water to 5 lbs of sugar to feed.

[Michael Bush]

What kind of corn syrup? The stuff that beekeepers feed comes in tanker trucks and meets very specific requirements. Sugar syrup is a good bet.

[jak61]

It is corn syrup that I bought from Walter T Kelley Co. when I picked up my packaged bees. I bought two 5gal. buckets of it. Has a additive in it I think for the bees. They recommended it over sugar water. They were doing much better yesterday. Will open up hives today to inspect if queens are doing ok. Will let you all know what is going on. Thanks.

[jak61]

Got in the hives today and all is good. The queens are out from their little queen cages and the worker bees are producing new comb. All looked good to me inside. Feeding much better now too.