[Denninmi]

I just thought this was interesting behavior.

I put a lot of dry sugar on the top of the hives for winter to augment their scant stores.

When the weather broke, they appeared to be dumping it out the front of the hive - each hive developed a litle pile out the front, perhaps a cup or so of sugar.

Now, over the past couple of days, they are gathering it all up again.

I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that I am feeding them pollen substitute on plates right outside the hive and next to the sugar piles. I can't imagine a connection, other than perhaps it is stimulating gathering behavior or perhaps their doing their bee dance and alerting others to the sugar and pollen?

I haven't opened the hives to look yet, but I can't imagine they're all that desperate for food now, since each hive had over a gallon of syrup last week, and they are flying out and coming back from somewhere with pollen -- where they are finding pollen there is probably nectar also (silver maples are now in full bloom here).

Anyone else seen this type of behavior?

 

[Yuleluder]

Sounds interesting... One year I did place dry sugar on my hives, but I certainly did not have an experience like yours come spring.

 

[Blackwater Bee]

I just thought this was interesting behavior.

I put a lot of dry sugar on the top of the hives for winter to augment their scant stores.

When the weather broke, they appeared to be dumping it out the front of the hive - each hive developed a litle pile out the front, perhaps a cup or so of sugar.

Now, over the past couple of days, they are gathering it all up again.

I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that I am feeding them pollen substitute on plates right outside the hive and next to the sugar piles. I can't imagine a connection, other than perhaps it is stimulating gathering behavior or perhaps their doing their bee dance and alerting others to the sugar and pollen?

I haven't opened the hives to look yet, but I can't imagine they're all that desperate for food now, since each hive had over a gallon of syrup last week, and they are flying out and coming back from somewhere with pollen -- where they are finding pollen there is probably nectar also (silver maples are now in full bloom here).

Anyone else seen this type of behavior?

The Younger Bees threw it out, but they brought it back in after the Older Ones hollered at them :lpf:

Interesting Observation though

 

[USCBeeMan]

Cleaning up hive. Excess sugar, dead bees, etc. Once cells/hive cleaned they are probably bringing it back into the hive.

Just a guess.

 

[CentralPAguy]

Yesterday, I started taking a super apart and saw a multitude of cells on the frames where they clearly put the sugar in. Maybe they are saving it for a rainy day...

 

[mike haney]

inside the hive if its not dampened they haul it out as trash. they seem to discover what it is if they have to "lick" at it. they bring it back in because the forragers get desperate when they need to feed brood. sometimes they haul sawdust in for pollen when they get desperate. check your hive for stores and pollen-you might need to feed . good luck,mike