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Author Topic: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season  (Read 6242 times)

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season
« Reply #40 on: October 30, 2018, 03:11:31 pm »
Thanks Live Oak,  Ultra Bee is also what I am feeding. Thanks for the good information. Yes you are north east of me. Our climate should be very similar. This being my first winter, I am extra happy to get the good information.  I will scratch any ideas that I might have been having about pollen patties. Being that you are in a simular area I would like to ask you. Do you have trouble with small hive beetles in the winter months ?   Thanks, Phillip Hall
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season
« Reply #41 on: October 30, 2018, 03:36:16 pm »
@ Live Oak
I couldn't find anything on Kent Williams sugar patty but I did find his recipe on sugar cake. I am thinking this is probably the same as you reccomended. I wlll say, This is the slickest trick that I have seen yet on sugar cakes or patties and let me tell you, I have been doing my homework!! Thank you for the heads up!! I will defiantly do this !!
Much appreciated!!  Philip Hall
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season
« Reply #42 on: October 30, 2018, 03:55:25 pm »
a sugar patty (try using Kent Williams' recipe) is a great source of carbohydrates that also help to absorb excess moisture inside the hive.

Live Oak, This is my first year. This will be my first time feeding sugar patties (cakes) When feed sugar patties, I heard and read that they help absorb condensation. I see how this wil be but as far as details, I don't know what to expect, so I will ask you, once the patties are made and set up in the hive,  the condensation will draw into them. Now, during the next Nights and Days, do the patties continuously draw moister, dry out, draw moister, dry out ? Or do they draw moister until finally completely soaked and stay soaked for the rest of winter or until consumed?
Thanks, Phillip Hall
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season
« Reply #43 on: November 04, 2018, 05:29:49 am »
Moved from Varroa treatment per Ben Framed?s request.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on Today at 09:59:25 am
Phillip,
Since the SHBs lay mainly outside of the brood area, during the winter, it is not warm enough for their eggs to hatch. I do not have any problems with SHBs in my observation hive during winter even when there are only a few hundred bees in the hive.
Jim

Thanks Jim, your answer is what I have found to be the general idea on everything I have read and seen. The advise given by Live Oak suggested that I not feed pollen patties during the late fall and winter months. He and I being in the same general area, suggested leaving open feeding available through this time, which sounds like sound advise to me but at the same time left me wondering could there (possibly) be a problem if I was persistent in going ahead and feeding the patties anyway, {during this cool time which is to cool for the beetles to reproduce outside of the brood area}, which I'm not, now planning to do. The question is strictly for educational purposes.  And the answer "I would not put any food patties with more than 5% protein inside the hive during Fall/Winter as these can become SHB magnets" left me wondering. So, for the educational purpose.  It wouldn't hurt to leave the patties inside during the winter months as far as the beetles sliming the hive is concerned because it is to cool in my area as far sliming goes. Ive got it.... thanks to you both.  But this does lead to another question. Even though the SHB don't breed during this time as mentioned, can and does the SHB actually migrate during these cold times? Fly as the bees do on warmer days in my area? Other wise how could the (good protein packed pattie), be a magnet during these winter months? We have already have concluded that the beetles which are already inside the hive will not be a problem but we wouldn't want to magnetize our hives and have our hives packed with an excessive amount of beetles which we have drawn to our hives during the winter months with pollen patties? I realize this is not related to this topic (varroa heat treatment), I was not trying to hijack this topic. I added this question as a side question as I had alleady ask Live Oak in the topic (Feeding pollen patties in late season) He didn't answer me there. Sinve he had began talking again here I thought I would ask him again. Maybe Jim, you would like to move this to its proper place . Feeding pollen patties in late season. Thanks, Jim for your reply and thanks to you Mr Live Oak for helping especially being your from my general area.
Soncerely, Phillip Hall "Ben Framed"
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Live Oak

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Re: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season
« Reply #44 on: November 04, 2018, 12:17:02 pm »
Kent Williams' Winter Sugar Patty Recipe is as follows:

25 lbs. of sugar
3 tbs of apple cider vinegar
3 tbs of citric acid
3 tbs of Mann Lake Pro Health or Honey Bee Healthy (you can vary amounts added to suit your liking, it doesn't take much)
mix well

Place on a sheet of newspaper, butcher paper, or wax paper on top of the frame bars directly top of the hive cluster, preferably in contact with the hive cluster if possible in 2 to 4 lb. piles and then gently flatten them out into a patty shape.  As the sugar absorbs moisture from inside the hive, the sugar mix will gradually harden into a patty and the bees will eat tunnels through it and consume it.

Offline Live Oak

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Re: Feeding Pollen Substitute in Late Season
« Reply #45 on: November 11, 2018, 12:20:09 pm »
I made a few errors and typo's in the recipe above.  This is the correct version:

Kent?s Winter Patty

25 lb. Sugar
3 Tbsp.Citric Acid Powder (home canning supplies)
1 Quart Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp. Honey Bee Healthy
Mix all ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket.
Kent installs a 2 inch thick patty, with a spacer, on a sheet of newspaper
right on the top of the frames. He refills every 2 weeks or as needed.