feeding your bees

[jsmob]

OK so how do you know when your bees have been fed enough to have enough stores to go through winter? If you need around 40 lbs of stores, do you fed them 40lbs of sugar (before you add water)?
How do you know when enough is enough? I have not had to do this before, but this year I have a few hives that did not build up like they needed to and they will die out if I don't feed them.
Thanks

[David Stokely]

It's a geographical thing.  You need to talk to other beeks in your area about how much the bees typically need to get through the winter in your area.  Here in northern Indiana most leave 2 deeps.  One friend of mine leaves 2 deeps and 1 medium.  In your area I would have no idea, but set a goal based on local wisdom and then feed them until the appropriate number of boxes are full and the bees won't take any more.

I don't think you can say well they need 2 deeps so that translates into 75 lbs of sugar, etc. because as they take your syrup, especially in August (around here anyway) there really isn't much of a flow going on, so they are going to be consuming a portion of the syrup and not storing it and that introduces an entirely different set of variables. . . what is the population, are they drawing comb. . . etc. etc. etc.  So I don't think there's a formula whereby you can predict.

Dave

[annette]

For us here in Northern Ca, the bees need about 35-40 lbs of honey to get through our winters.

a medium super with all 10 frames filled and capped should be enough. I usually just keep feeding until I can count at least those 10 frames filled up. Then I also make sure they have a bit more down below in the brood nest. a medium frame is about 3-4 lbs of honey so just count how many frames you have.

Hope this helps

Annette

[slacker361]

wow my bees better get busy or they are not going to make it

[Finski]

How do you know when enough is enough?

I live at the level of Anchorage Alaska. I feed 20 kg sugar per hive on average. I take almost all honey away. I have insulated boxes and non insulated onsume 50% more winter food.

If you have one box of bees, you must feed it full that they do nit take any more. Reaosn is that if you do not feed full, they do not cap cells and syrup start to ferment during winter. It absorbs moisture from air.

2 box wintering hive needs 50% more.


I feed the hives inside one week. So they do not start much brooding again.

When I have feeded 2/3 I weigh the hive with bathroom balance and feed those which have not enough stores.

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[Finski]

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Just now I clean honey frames away from hives and I give 2 boxes free combs that the queen may lay the winter bees. It happens during next 3 weeks. Then bees slow down the brood rearing and they prepare for winter. During first half of September bees are ready to meet the winter.

Now we have summer. in my area temps are 25-30 C. This is warmest summer in almost 100 years.

[jsmob]

Thank you for your help.
Finski, just so I understand if I need 40lbs of stores I should look at feeding them at least 60lbs of syrup.
Annette, how much sugar are you using to get to your 40lbs plus the extra frames would you say.
Thank you!

[Finski]

Thank you for your help.
Finski, just so I understand if I need 40lbs of stores I should look at feeding them at least 60lbs of syrup.
Annette, how much sugar are you using to get to your 40lbs plus the extra frames would you say.
Thank you!

It does not go that way.  If you have one box, you need to feed it full. Otherwise bees do not cap the food. It depends how much the hive has old food and pollen. This is not mathematics.

[jsmob]

Thank you again. I have it now.

[annette]

Yep agree with Finski on that one!!

If I do not see the frames filled up like I want them to be, well I just keep feeding until they are filled up.

[gundalf]

Great info guys, and ladies...   I was just trying to figure a winter strategy for fall feeding and this info helps...   Thank You...   If I feed will they cut back on foraging???   I'd hate for them to miss the Ironweed and goldenrod...

[AliciaH]

I think that depends a lot on the personality of your hive.  I've had some ignore sugar water if there was anything else available at all, and some that sucked it down right away.

But I'm not familiar with your area, if you wait to feed until after the ironweed and goldenrod bloom, will you have time before frost for them to utilize the syrup?  Or do you think you should start sooner?  How much to they have stored up now?