Hi! I have 3 hives and am wondering how I should attempt to feed them in the Winter as I do not want to lose them to starvation again (like I did last year.)
I have the 2 Styrofoam hive feeders. One is still on as I fed one hive a couple of times in the Fall. I was thinking that I could pour a 5 # bag of white sugar into the Styrofoam top feeders, but I would need to remove the Plexiglas cover (that allows the bees to drink the liquid syrup without drowning) which would open up the feeder so that they could walk into the feeder to feed off the dry granulated sugar. The second top feeder is not currently on, but the other hive I am concerned about had 2 deeps, a medium, and a 2nd medium that was not quite full. I am concerned that if the cluster moves up to this super that they could possibly starve unless I have some alternative food available for them. (I had thought I could take this top super off and freeze it, but unfortunately I never got a chance to take it off as I missed the opportunity to do so before the weather turned too cold.)
Has anyone tried to feed in the winter using a styrofoam top feeder?
and if so what was the result?
My other question is, or instead, I remove the Plexiglas cover and try the baggie feeding method (and if so which ratio or sugar to water) and just refill if it appears they are taking it?
Also, for the 3rd hive that I do not have a feeder for, should I just monitor and if it looks like they may need feed, just pour some granulated sugar onto the top cover and see if that works? ... or would you suggest a baggie feeder be used instead?
Also, I have some frozen pollen patties from this Spring that I did not use?
Would these still be good for feeding this year and if so, when should I give them the pollen patties?
TIA!
I have the 2 Styrofoam hive feeders. One is still on as I fed one hive a couple of times in the Fall. I was thinking that I could pour a 5 # bag of white sugar into the Styrofoam top feeders, but I would need to remove the Plexiglas cover (that allows the bees to drink the liquid syrup without drowning) which would open up the feeder so that they could walk into the feeder to feed off the dry granulated sugar. The second top feeder is not currently on, but the other hive I am concerned about had 2 deeps, a medium, and a 2nd medium that was not quite full. I am concerned that if the cluster moves up to this super that they could possibly starve unless I have some alternative food available for them. (I had thought I could take this top super off and freeze it, but unfortunately I never got a chance to take it off as I missed the opportunity to do so before the weather turned too cold.)
Has anyone tried to feed in the winter using a styrofoam top feeder?
and if so what was the result?
My other question is, or instead, I remove the Plexiglas cover and try the baggie feeding method (and if so which ratio or sugar to water) and just refill if it appears they are taking it?
Also, for the 3rd hive that I do not have a feeder for, should I just monitor and if it looks like they may need feed, just pour some granulated sugar onto the top cover and see if that works? ... or would you suggest a baggie feeder be used instead?
Also, I have some frozen pollen patties from this Spring that I did not use?
Would these still be good for feeding this year and if so, when should I give them the pollen patties?
TIA!