Feed Sugar on the inner cover

[radu43]

Been doing this in the winter. Seem like the bees are taken it. I only have two hives, so it is not a big deal to give the sugar every two weeks or so. I also mix it with Bee Pro from Manlake. I figure it can not hurt.

Any thoughts on this. Am I doing something I should not do?

Thank you.

[BeeCurious]

I have used fondant over inner covers for "insurance feeding". Here is a cheaper alternative: http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...201#post876201

[mgolden]

This only works in warmer climates. Bees stay in a tight cluster when hive temp is below 55F and the cluster only moves when hive temp is 40 to 45F.

Had a hive dive last winter in February in cold weather. It was a late swarm capture and I knew it was light on stores. Had 20 lbs of sugar above an inner cover with an open 3 1/2 inch round hole in the center and the cluster got stranded in the frames.

Far better to have emergency food on top of the frames.

[bison]

I have put Dryvert on the inner cover of hives I have in Marin and in Lake County. Some have taken it voraciously, some don't seem to have touched it. I presume given our climate that the bees will move around enough to get to it. I do have a couple hives without inner covers and I just put the Dryvert on top of the frames with a sheet of newspaper.

[Michael Bush]

I prefer it on newspaper as the cluster can eat through the paper wherever they may be and the bees eating the sugar don't have to leave the cluster so they can eat it no matter how cold it is.

[brooksbeefarm]

I feed sugar like michael said, only i lay a newspaper on top of the frames spray a light coat of water on the paper, put a 1" layer of sugar on it, spray another light coat of water on the sugar, put another layer of sugar on, ect. until i have 8# to 10# of sugar on. I try to do this before the temp. goes below 60# when spraying water, the water makes the sugar cake up and hold together.I have brought several light hives through the winter this way.

[AstroBee]

I agree with the last two posts. Get the feed right where the bees need it. Make sure to put sugar breaks as explained by brooksbeefarm. I see very little advantage of placing it on the inner cover.

[radu43]

So in this method do you still use a inner cover? I would think that there not enough space between inner cover and the frames.

[brooksbeefarm]

I don't use a innercover when feeding sugar, i make 3" or 4" shims to allow a space for the sugar.

[AstroBee]

I use an empty medium box with an inner cover on top.

[Beesknees01]

I gave them moist granulated sugar this winter, but I'm not sure if the bees taking it or throwing it away!!??

[Michael Bush]

You need to wet it some with a spray bottle of water to make it clump or they will throw it away.

[squarepeg]

another approach is to mix the sugar up with just enough water to make a paste, (about one part water to nine parts sugar).

you can form this paste into patties, and it can be utilized without the bees having bring water to it.

i also follow mr. bush's suggestion to add some vitamin c (ascorbic acid), roughly 1000 mg per gallon, to lower the ph of the mixture.

in late winter or early spring, if the bees will be brooding, i throw some pollen substitute in there too.
this ends up 8 parts sugar, 1 part pollen sub, 1 part water, and some vitamin c.

(i would only feed them this if they are out of stores, and to prevent starvation, put it on the top bars over the cluster)