[Denon Carpenter]

How warm does it have to be to start feeding sugar syrup? I have a colony that blew over this winter is on low stores and what I suspect to have nosema. So I want to feed syrup with fumagilin to it asap.

Also I have several strong hives I want split and move to other locations. I would like them to have a good population if possible by the flow in May/Early June.

I live in southwest PA. We still have lots of snow on the ground. The temperatures are getting warmer. The extended forecast doesnt' go to far below mid thirties for the next 15 days with many of them being in the 40's and 50's. Night time temperatures are going down into the 20's and 30's.

 

[mike haney]

they wont take syrup that is below 50 degrees. good luck,mike

 

[Rickole]

I started syrup a few days ago. The temps are in the mid 50's during the day and the low to mid 30's at night. I checked the syrup yesterday and I'm about 1/3 down. If it is still too cold in your area, and you are concerned about the food supply, try a couple tablespoons of table sugar in each under the inner cover to hold them over.

 

[concrete-bees]

Tablespoon --- what a tease !!!!

i make shims that are 1 1/2 high and place that on top of the inner covers and pour it full - then i mist it with warm water - this makes a thin syrup - once they find it they proscess the sugar with no problem ( well Kinda.... i had one hive store the dry sugar in cells... not sure what they were thinking)

but remember a little feed means a lot of you going out there everyday -

 

[Denninmi]

It was in the mid-40's here on saturday and sunday, and in the low 50's monday and today. A lot of bee activity.

So, I decided to give them some sugar syrup with Fumigillin B. Two hives, each took a quart on saturday. So, I gave each another quart on sunday.

That seemed to go fast, so I gave each hive 2 quarts monday. They took all of that, so I gave them each 2 quarts again today.

They took ALL of it. Amazing. They were really working it.

Of course, I made it easy for them, using little feeders right at the hive entrance.

I put a cup of boiled, old honey in each gallon of syrup. Makes them take it faster. I boil it first for safety - should kill any microbes in there, since it boils at such a high temp.

 

[Beaver Dam]

If they are flying, I put it out. Also open feed megabee. May take a few days for them to start the megabee, but it'll get them started. All my feeding now is done by open feeding.

 

[drobbins]

I open feed with a bucket of syrup in the backyard
if nights are cold I'll bring it in so it stays warm and set it back out in the morning, One of the advantages of just a few hives in the backyard

Dave

 

[doc25]

Can't say how cold they will take it ... , but they will take syrup below 50 deg.