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Florida Bees- sucking up syrup?

1983 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  Fl_Beak
First year beek- I have one colony almost a year old in the back yard, a deep and medium of brood, a super mostly full of honey and a second in the process of being drawn out, {also have a swarm I hived in April 30 minutes away (not from my box).} We had several days of rain, so I figured I'd put a quart of syrup on the hive and see what they did with it. As I understand (I'been wrong on lesser things) if bees have fresh nectar they won't take the syrup. 4 quarts and 24 hours later- I am wondering whether I should keep feeding. We have some golden rain tree near us in bloom, I'd guess enough to bring in some nectar, and have a fair amount of mangroves and palm trees in bloom w/in a mile. I was shocked at the rate the bees took in the syrup.

Do I keep feeding to get them to pull out one more super or let em ride on natural flows in the area? I expect a brazillian pepper flow in Sept-Oct, so I'd love to have an extra super drawn out, as I would love to pull some honey this year. I took a peek today at the hive, and only got down to the top brood box. It was slap full of capped brood, with so many bees, I'm thinking of going to 9 frame rather than 10, just to make inspections more manageable. Any thoughts?
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>Do I keep feeding to get them to pull out one more super or let em ride on natural flows in the area?

If you dont want them to fill the super up with sugar/water then i wouldnt be feeding the bees when you have supers on! Specially if you have a flow in your area! If you feed them with a super on you wont have honey, you will have sugar/water!
My thought is that they're going to fill your supers with sugar syrup. If you plan on taking off some honey stop feeding; sugar syrup is not real honey. Let them use available nectar. :D
I'm not into sugar water honey, but was confused by the rate they sucked the syrup down. Didn't know if the "needed it." Hot summer I suppose...

Activity in/out of the hive has been good, whether permitting, so I am supposing the bees are foraging. Hopefully not just cleansing flights from the sugar water :cool: LOL.
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