[BoonROTO]

I am wanting to feed a couple of Nucs and a couple of struggling starts from trapouts earlier this summer. What ratio of sugar to water do you suggest? I was going to go with 1:1? THANKS

 

[homesteader824]

Yes, 1:1 ratio of sugar and water to feed when you are wanting them to build comb and grow. I know of a beekeeper who feeds 2 water to one sugar, giving a thinner feed. His thinking is that he's saving money on sugar, and the increased volume forces the bees to build even more comb to put the syrup, so they can get it to evaporate down to a thickness they wanted. I tried this, but they just seemed to go through it that much faster.

In the fall, if you need to supplement their stores going into winter, it's 2:1 (two sugar to one water).

Something I've been doing this year is mixing right in the mason jars I use. I pour the sugar in the jar, then pour in hot (not boiling) water, and mix with a wooden spoon. I then top off with cold water. Very handy for me. I haven't tried this with 2:1 yet.

 

[Dave Warren]

4th year keep, this year I didn't feed, listened to Michael Bush, DON'T FEED. saved money, can't see the difference in performance in the hives. JMHO!

 

[Michael Bush]

Feeding in the summer has it's up side and it's down side. In the summer it's mostly down side. You draw ants. You attract robbers. Your syrup spoils quickly. If they just don't have enough comb drawn or built up enough for winter AND there is a dearth (so they can't accomplish these on their own) then I might feed. And it would be 5:3 as all my syrup is, so it would keep better than 1:1 and be easier to mix than 2:1. If there is a nectar flow, I would not feed them. I see nothing but down side when you feed any bees when there is a flow they can gather on their own.