[shinbone]

In my area, our main and many times only major flow is in spring, and this year I started feeding 1:1 syrup in late winter to stimulate brood production for early build-up to maximize nectar collection during the spring flow.

Since I don't wank to be extracting capped syrup when I harvest in the Fall, how do I know when the bees have started bringing in nectar and I can stop feeding the 1:1?

Is the only sign that the bees are brining in nectar is that they stop taking offered syrup? Do hives ever continue to take syrup even when they are also bringing in nectar?

TIA

--shinbone

 

[Deepsouth]

When I feed to stimulate growth I don't give them all they will take. My feeders hold about 1/2 gallon. I fill it about once a week. This gives them a enough feed to expand but it allows them to use all the syrup before I give them more. This prevents them from back filling the brood nest with syrup. If you give them all they want they will fill everything with syrup and swarm.

"Is the only sign that the bees are brining in nectar is that they stop taking offered syrup? Do hives ever continue to take syrup even when they are also bringing in nectar?"

My bees will still take the syrup while on a big flow so I wouldn't use that method.
Basically once the plants that produce your flows start blooming you could stop feeding because the flow will be starting.