Author Topic: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps  (Read 2578 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline 40 Acre Bees

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
  • Thanked: 12 times
  • Location: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia Canada
Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« on: April 07, 2018, 01:24:19 pm »
The weather outside is certainly frightful, has anyone in NS started spring feeding (syrup) yet.  My sugar cakes are getting down and I'm starting to worry!

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2018, 01:39:18 pm »
Hi 40, I don't know about all of us beeks here in upper northern California but I am feeding both syrup and sugar cakes. The weather is typical spring weather... 3 days of warm, 4 days of rain, 2 days of warm, 2 days of major wind, 1 day of hail and grapple, 4 days of warm. Makes it tough on virgin queens to get mated. So, I'm keeping plenty of sugar and syrup on, whatever each hive uses most.
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2018, 02:35:15 pm »
Hard to get them to take syrup below 10C. I am still using fondant. I know of one guy who is feeding syrup but it is in frame feeders.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Rugerbob

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Nova Scotia
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2018, 06:53:43 pm »
I just finished making more fondant.

Offline 40 Acre Bees

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
  • Thanked: 12 times
  • Location: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia Canada
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2018, 09:17:46 pm »
I also ended up adding more sugar cake today.  Hopefully the temperatures warm up soon.  Was hoping to start syrup by now, but temps don't look real promising yet for the next week or more.

Offline Rugerbob

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Nova Scotia
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2018, 05:15:45 am »
Watch for the red maple bloom, this is when I start feeding sugar water.

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4511
  • Thanked: 483 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2018, 09:21:38 am »
I also ended up adding more sugar cake today.  Hopefully the temperatures warm up soon.  Was hoping to start syrup by now, but temps don't look real promising yet for the next week or more.
40 Acres: That's better than starvation.
Rugerbob:  Around here we get the first pollen from Silver Maples and Elms.  Then the red maples start blooming.

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2018, 10:32:14 pm »
40 acre.........same bee boat as you, temps well below normal for this time of year. putting more sugar bricks/cake/fondant on good decision! and keep it on until weather is good for syrup.  no way i could feed syrup now and looking at weather, not for a couple weeks!
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline Les

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1260
  • Thanked: 97 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Kingston, NY
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #8 on: April 09, 2018, 09:07:29 am »
No syrup in NYS yet, too cold and the bees won't take it.  Still have sugar bricks on and I put in a frame of pollen.

Offline treeman4646

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 14
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Spencerville, Ontario
Re: Spring Feeding - Nova Scotia Keeps
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2018, 07:39:39 am »
I'm just south of Ottawa, I put sugar patties on about 6 weeks ago and added some maybe three still getting below zero at night and hardly +4C or +5C during the odd day.
I'd think still too cold for syrup.