Feeding on warmer days

**gibby937** · 12-02-2012, 02:18 PM

Just curious, on warmer days in the winter (65-70), can you feed lighter hives 2:1 sugar syrup? Or is this not a good option? I assume drying time would be an issue. Thanks

**Vance G** · 12-02-2012, 02:23 PM

I wouldn't let worrying about drying time cause you to starve your bees. You can always do mountain camp feeding if your worried about drying time. My mother lived a lifetime along the Canada/North Dakota border and said her winter playing Rosie the Riveter in Georgia was the coldest of her life!

**gibby937** · 12-02-2012, 02:31 PM

Thanks for the response. I think I will check to see if any is light and feed those. The next three days show around 70 high and lower 50's low.

**squarepeg** · 12-02-2012, 02:45 PM

i have one that is very light. i put two quarts of 5:3 on it yesterday. the syrup is over half gone already. i might give them one more quart tomorrow. it's a very small cluster, only about three frames of bees.

**timgoodin** · 12-02-2012, 03:15 PM

I mountain camp all mine each fall. So far about half are eating the sugar. We had a terrible drought this year so guess I'll have to feed through March. The girls were bringing a bright red pollen today at 67 degrees. I noticed some henbit blooming, guess that's what they are foraging on. If I were you in Georgia, I would not worry about drying time just pour the heavy syrup or sugar to them. The two week forecast for West KY is above normal temperatures. Every week passes gets us closer to spring.

Tim

**Dubuquer** · 12-02-2012, 04:39 PM

I fed mine today in Cherokee County. Gotta keep them alive until the first bloom.

**jrhoto** · 12-02-2012, 04:50 PM

I have been feeding in southwest virginia since october, i have feed both heavy syurp and dadant winter patties and both are being eaten well.

www.poorvalleybeefarm.com

**Lburou** · 12-02-2012, 08:00 PM

My light hive downed a quart in the last 24 hours -it was 80+ this afternoon. I refilled it again tonight. Will feed until they stop taking it -also feeding ML pollen substitute but saw pollen going in the entrance this afternoon. One end of the hive weighed 27 pounds five days ago and 28.8 pounds today!

**mulesii** · 12-03-2012, 07:01 AM

I have been open feeding for my three hives on days above 55F in November and the bees have been going wild over the 2:1 syrup I have put out. today and tomorrow are forecasted to be in the 60s, so I will put out more syrup.

**gibby937** · 12-03-2012, 04:42 PM

I put mason jar feeders through the inner covers today on 18 hives today. Temp was in the 70's. they did not take a drop! Some are light. I guess they did not feel that they needed it. Oh well, I will continue to try over the next several days. It's still supposed to be in the 70's. Thanks for all the input.

**squarepeg** · 12-03-2012, 04:50 PM

gib, i've never tried it that way.

i bought a few cheap quail feeders from the local farm supply.

you screw a quart jar onto these, and turn 'em upside down.

i did find that putting 3/8" wooden balls in the trough eliminated all drowning.

i set them right on the top bars over the cluster, and they can't help but start taking in down right off the bat.

this time, i put two in together, and used an empty box to go around the feeders, with the cover on top.

when i put my third quart on the hive this morning, it was warm enough in the hive that they were feeding, even though the outside temp was only 52 degrees.