[tucker0104]

What is the easiest way to feed honey back to bees? I took some honey off an established hive earlier this year and now I am wanting to feed it to my new hives. What do you recommend?

 

[sqkcrk]

Extracted? Or still in the comb?

 

[tucker0104]

Extracted.

 

[sqkcrk]

Langstroth type hive(s)?

I guess you could put a pie tin on the bottom board, fill it w/ honey, and narrow the entrance down to one or two bees to prevent robbing. But, seems like you should be in a nectar flow right now or as soon as tomorrow. When it isn't raining the nectar is flowing in much of the eastern part of the State. Gaulberry. Do you get any in Charlotte? I wouldn't feed honey to them if there is a flow on.

Are you trying to get comb drawn? Why are you feeding at this time?

 

[Cedar Hill]

I have found that the easiest way was to use my gallon jars (mayonnaise jars), with many 1/16 holes drilled into the jar covers but drilled according to the shape of the inner cover hole. Placed over the inner cover hole, with a deep super over it, they will take it down quite rapidly. No mess, no robbing, etc. Same jars that are used in the Fall and Spring feedings. OMTCW

 

[tucker0104]

Thanks, Cedar Hill. I haven't tried that yet but will be trying it tomorrow.

 

[burns375]

My main hives require no feed whatsoever, in fall they most likely will. However, I have 15 or so mating nucs i feed this spring. I didn't have holes and didn't want to fool with cleaning jars and drilling holes etc since once they built up a bit they'de be on flow. This will sound really lazy and somewhat stupid but i just poured it in and over the side frames that are not filled out. Let it run to the bottom board. I did this towards evening so not to incite robbing, by morning it was as if I was never there, they will clean it up quickly.

 

[bevy's honeybees]

I have found that the easiest way was to use my gallon jars (mayonnaise jars), with many 1/16 holes drilled into the jar covers but drilled according to the shape of the inner cover hole. Placed over the inner cover hole, with a deep super over it, they will take it down quite rapidly. No mess, no robbing, etc. Same jars that are used in the Fall and Spring feedings. OMTCW

I'm doing this with a queenless nuk right now. Pint size jar, started with a cup of honey because I worried about robbing, especially with them being queenless. Put that on a feeder lid and then an empty nuk and lid on top. Taped the edges and reduced the entrance to about !/2 inch with #8 screen.

I refilled this morning, they took the cup just fine and there was a couple tablespoons left in first jar. Small nuk, 2 frames of bees, brood, pollen, now the honey, and a frame half drawn out, 2 empty frames. I will watch for hive beetles now. Now that I see it works I will do it with more queen rearing. We have saw palmetto in bloom now.

 

[Michael Bush]

Most feeders will work for honey the same as syrup. Drownings are worse in frame feeders because of the viscosity, so I would make sure you have floats and ladders in a frame feeder. Bottom board feeders have the same issues, and will probably need floats as well. Jar feeders work fine, can feeders work fine. Miller feeders will have a few more drownings if they have the screened in area for a ladder. The kind with floats in them will drown more in thick honey.

The temptation, then of course, is to water down the honey. I would not. It will ferment too fast watered down.

Obviously, the best thing is to plan better so you can just move capped honey around instead of trying to feed it back.

Personally I think it's too risky feeding it back, because of robbing and drowning issues. Besides I went to all that work to harvest it... I try to not need to feed, but if I do feed, honey has more problems than syrup...