Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => GREETINGS/TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF => Topic started by: akhardys on February 18, 2017, 11:06:13 am
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Hi fellow forum members.
Getting ready to embark on a new hobby in beekeeping. Starting out this spring with delivery of 3 x nucs. The will probably arrive a couple weeks before the normal start of flow in this area. I understand new bees must be fed, regardless. Can I feed them dry sugar? I've read a lot about feeding dry sugar in the winter, but really can't find anything on feeding sugar vs syrup to new starts.
I've located a beekeeping club locally that I've joined. This online forum has already answered most of my initial questions and concerns. Thanks all.
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Greetings. What kind of nectar sources are common in Utah?
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Oh and I would feed them a mixture of sugar and water.
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Oh and I would feed them a mixture of sugar and water.
I think mostly alfalfa and clover in the fields and pastures. Some fruit trees around. Lots of home gardens and flowers.
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Welcome to the forum. Great people here.
[Great people in Utah, too. I graduated from the U way back when.]
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Welcome :happy:.
Feeding dry sugar vs. syrup is all about the moisture. During the winter you want little to no added moisture in the hive from the feed. Therefore you use dry sugar in the form of fondant or sugar brick or the mountain camp method. The bees can't deal with the added moisture during the winter and it will condense in the hive(not good). During the spring/summer/fall syrup is used because it mimics the nectar that they normally bring in and they can deal with any leftover moisture that may be in the hive. If you fed them dry sugar during the summer they would have to still bring in water to mix with it to use it.
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Welcome to Beemaster.
Jim
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Welcome :happy:.
Feeding dry sugar vs. syrup is all about the moisture. During the winter you want little to no added moisture in the hive from the feed. Therefore you use dry sugar in the form of fondant or sugar brick or the mountain camp method. The bees can't deal with the added moisture during the winter and it will condense in the hive(not good). During the spring/summer/fall syrup is used because it mimics the nectar that they normally bring in and they can deal with any leftover moisture that may be in the hive. If you fed them dry sugar during the summer they would have to still bring in water to mix with it to use it.
Makes sense. Thank you.
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Welcome