Author Topic: feeding bees  (Read 20963 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline mamapoppybee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 363
  • Thanked: 3 times
  • Location: Oklahoma
feeding bees
« on: January 05, 2014, 01:01:06 pm »
I know there are things such as pollen patties protein patties simple syrup and fondont. What im wanting to know is the when to use these different types of feed?

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6126
  • Thanked: 407 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2014, 01:45:19 pm »
Use thin syrup and pollen sub to get the queen to lay.

Use thick syrup and solid food to give the bees food storage.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2014, 01:52:32 pm »
Fondant now if they're light.
I add pollen patties in March if I get a chance. Once you start, keep a close eye on them
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2014, 06:00:15 pm »
Iddee, what do you mean by 'solid food'?
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6126
  • Thanked: 407 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2014, 06:27:11 pm »
Fondant, sugar cakes, candy boards, anything not liquid.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Riverrat

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2169
  • Thanked: 56 times
  • Location: oxford kansas
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2014, 08:32:13 pm »
In Oklahoma I think you will find the same thing I have here in Kansas. About the time you want to put pollen patties on the trees are budding out with pollen producing buds and the pollen patties are not need and they usually will not touch them if there is pollen to be had.  About the time the buds are producing I will feed 1:1 syrup because the flow don't come until later.
"no man ever stood so tall as one that  stoops to help a child"

Forum Supporter

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2014, 10:19:48 pm »
Okay! I know what pollen patties are and what they are for.

Now, I just ordered 'winter patties'. They are not advertised as 'pollen patties'. The winter patties are listed as thus:

Carbs 4%
Protein 40%
Moisture 7%
Fat 4%
Ash 2%
Fiber 40 %

Megabee, Honey B Healthy, and sugar.

Two companies sell this same product. The ingredients don't say what kind of protein it is. I hope it's not pollen, cause we're not supposed to feed pollen in the dead of winter. Does anyone know???
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6126
  • Thanked: 407 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2014, 10:34:39 pm »
I can't help you there. I have never bought feed for the bees. I have bought 300 lbs. of sugar this winter. Looking for the revenoorers to come knocking any day now.   :o
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline mamapoppybee

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 363
  • Thanked: 3 times
  • Location: Oklahoma
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2014, 11:36:41 am »
HONEY-B-HEALTHY: is a honeybee feeding stimulant composed of lemongrass and spearmint oil concentrate. HONEY-B-HEALTHY helps promote healthy vigorous hives when used as a feeding stimulant. Use as a feeding stimulant for late winter, early spring, and during dearth's of nectar. Also add to your feeding mix to help build up packages, nucs and swarms.

AMINO-B BOOSTER: used for early spring feeding and brood build up for pollination to maximize production, to rapidly build up packages, nucs and swarms and for feeding bees during times of colony dwindling, late winter, midsummer, and droughts. To build and strengthen weak colonies; especially following Nosema ceranae attack or after pesticide injury. Amino-B Booster provides all necessary amino acids for healthy nurse bees and for production of high quality bee milk and royal jelly for queen production and effective in helping to reduce ‘protein stress’. Especially when bees are producing brood and available pollen sources are limited in quantity and/or the pollen is lacking essential amino acids causing dying yellowing (snot) brood.

VITAMIN B HEALTHY: used as a feeding supplement. Can be used alone in syrups, protein patties and along with Honey-B-Healthy and Amino-B-Booster to help strengthen colonies weakened from disease, pesticides and pollen stress. Helps provide needed nutrients vital for bee health and helps build strong healthy colonies for maximum honey production and pollination. Can also be used to help build up weak, over-winterized colonies, packages, nucs and swarms. Especially beneficial when bees are producing brood and available pollen sources are limited in quantity and/or the pollen is lacking essential vital nutrients causing dying yellowing (snot) brood and dwindling colonies.     This is the consumer info jaybird and should tell you what you need.

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2014, 02:44:59 pm »
great post mama!

"The ingredients don't say what kind of protein it is. I hope it's not pollen, cause we're not supposed to feed pollen in the dead of winter. Does anyone know???"
no jen, they do not contain any pollen.   :)
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2014, 04:51:53 pm »
Good stuff mama- now I just need a recipe to put this yummy stuff into winter patties. I'm wanting to make my own.

ps. not pollen patties  8)
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline crazy8days

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 217
  • Thanked: 2 times
  • Gender: Male
    • https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crees-Bees/264227527049555?ref=hl
  • Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2014, 05:48:48 pm »
This is what I use.  http://www.megabeediet.com/  I made candy boards last year with it.  This year I just add to fondant.  This spring I'll add to light syrup to get them a boost.
“It's wonderful to me that bees have this simple, age-old thing going on.” -Peter Fonda

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2014, 07:34:32 pm »
I can't help you there. I have never bought feed for the bees. I have bought 300 lbs. of sugar this winter. Looking for the revenoorers to come knocking any day now.   :o

When you ask if they sell copper line at the grocery store Iddee, what do you expect?  ;)
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Slowmodem

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1551
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
    • http://gregsbees.blogspot.com/
  • Location: Ten Mile, TN
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2014, 07:56:35 pm »
I can't help you there. I have never bought feed for the bees. I have bought 300 lbs. of sugar this winter. Looking for the revenoorers to come knocking any day now.   :o

When you ask if they sell copper line at the grocery store Iddee, what do you expect?  ;)

A "bent can" grocery store recently had 4-lb bags of sugar for $1.29.  Seeing as how it doesn't go bad, I scarfed up on many bags.  I was asked several times about moonshine before I got out to the truck, even though I had a Mann Lake bee hat on.
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6126
  • Thanked: 407 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2014, 08:11:16 pm »
I just bought 100 lb. today at costco for 32.78.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Slowmodem

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1551
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
    • http://gregsbees.blogspot.com/
  • Location: Ten Mile, TN
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2014, 08:16:45 pm »
I just bought 100 lb. today at costco for 32.78.

If my math is right, that's 32 cents/lb.  That's a great price.

The thing is, do you prefer to move one heavy bag, or lots of 4-lb bags?   ;D
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline Zulu

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 152
  • Thanked: 3 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Greensboro NC
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #16 on: January 06, 2014, 08:50:20 pm »
I just bought 100 lb. today at costco for 32.78.

If my math is right, that's 32 cents/lb.  That's a great price.

The thing is, do you prefer to move one heavy bag, or lots of 4-lb bags?   ;D

2x 50 lb bags are pretty easy to move, I too bought 100 lbs a few weeks ago at Costco,

It was only $28 for 100 lbs back in the summer.
Zulu's Bees

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6126
  • Thanked: 407 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #17 on: January 06, 2014, 09:57:14 pm »
Slow, did you carry them in the house one bag at a time? I would think that would involve a lot of walking. Yeah, I prefer 2 trips at 50 lb. each.  ;D
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Slowmodem

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1551
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
    • http://gregsbees.blogspot.com/
  • Location: Ten Mile, TN
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #18 on: January 06, 2014, 10:19:26 pm »
Slow, did you carry them in the house one bag at a time? I would think that would involve a lot of walking. Yeah, I prefer 2 trips at 50 lb. each.  ;D

Well, with the cheap plastic bags they use at the stores nowadays, you can't put more than two bags of sugar in a double-bagged bag.  So I made several trips up and down the stairs.   ;)
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline 40 Acre Bees

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
  • Thanked: 12 times
  • Location: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia Canada
Re: feeding bees
« Reply #19 on: January 18, 2014, 05:17:12 pm »
Thinking we may have to do some feeding in the near future.  We are thinking about making some fondant, does anyone have a recipe for a small quantity as we only have two hives to feed.  Thanks