open feeding

Beek since May/2 Hives/Fast learner. Mite treatments last month. This month feeding. Made the mistake of not fully closing the lid on a tank style hive top feeder. Came home a couple hours later to see (from a distance) a dark line of bees trying to get into the top and starting to rob the...

I know there is much debate whether to open feed or not and I know lots of folks do it despite the debate. My question is not so much whether to open feed or not but more why is it believed the open feeding stimulates robbing? What is it about open feeding that spurs robbing? I am open feeding...

I installed a new nuc last week. I've wanted to feed, but it's been raining almost every day. I don't want open it in the rain. It's too muddy to get anywhere near it with the truck. I thought I might just put out a bucket of syrup. I know I need some straw or floats, maybe pieces of wood? How...

hello all.. here's my normal hbh mix - open feed only 2.4lbs sugar 1 quart of hot water 2-4 tsp lecithin as the emulsifier 2 tsp lemongrass 2 tsp spiramint oil all blended up to make a concentrate whereby i add 1 tsp/quart sugar water. In my tired state yesterday, I added 2 tsp of...

I'm a very inexperienced BeeKeeper. I've been "tightning" up my hives in preparation for winter. From the stores collected it looks like my area had a decent flow this fall. I've reduced my hives to two brood boxes each. Most seem to have a heavier top box than bottom. I'm assuming that's...

Hello all...I've encountered this issue before, especially with highly populated hives. I have a hive that is 5 boxes deep (2 deeps and 3 supers). Our bottom deep is pretty much empty...no drawn out comb and no real activity on the frames with drawn comb. Should I just remove that bottom box...

Has anyone had experience open feeding powdered pollen substitute? We feed patties in late fall and the winter but put powdered pollen sub on top of the frames in the hot weather because of the hive beetles. We are in a high humidity area and I am concerned that the dry pollen sub won't fare...

Open feeding does have advantages. Below is a well written article that includes first hand experience, information and photos. It gives the pros and cons of open feeding. http://www.honeybeeworld.com/misc/syrup/feed.htm