Author Topic: Feeding Bees  (Read 1297 times)

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Offline Jen

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Feeding Bees
« on: July 03, 2022, 12:35:38 pm »
As of today, July 3rd, I have 4 hives and only 5 medium frames of capped and partially capped honey/nectar.

Our spring here in upper northern California was an entire fumble of weather extremes all the way from Feb thru June. We had a huge freeze thru April and May which left only 1/3 the amount of nectar for the bees to gather. Essentially, we have had no flow.

So to date, I don't have near enough stored capped honey for winter feeding, and we are going into the summer dearth.

I knew early on this year that I would be feeding syrup for most of this season. I'm pondering using a syrup that has more nutrients in it other than simple sugar syrup, but I don't want a syrup from Mann or Dadant that is corn syrup based. Wondering if there is a recipe or suggestion on how I can make a more nutritious syrup for bees from my kitchen?

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Offline yukonjeff

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2022, 12:54:16 am »
I would say that pure cane sugar and a pollen patty in the fall when they hatch out their winter brood, is really all they need. You can keep feeding a patty all summer if there is no pollen coming in and dont mind them brooding.

Honey is their natural food but the solids in it can cause problems over winter. Sugar (in my opinion) is actually better.

Offline RAST

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2022, 07:46:00 am »
Agree with yokonjeff on cane sugar (syrup in my location) and I would open feed pollen instead of patties due to hive beetles if necessary.
 

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2022, 10:06:00 am »
I agree with yukonjeff and RAST.  For readers that are new to beekeeping, I like RAST's option of open feeding pollen sub instead of pollen patties because Small Hive Beetles love them and that can lead to an infestation.  As I recall Jen, you don't have SHB in your location, right?  A good pollen sub can provide lots of nutrition.

Offline Jen

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2022, 05:16:33 pm »
Well so far the bees are bringing in plenty of pollen, there is just no water in the ground for the flowering plants to make nectar.

I have put out pollen sub many times and for some odd reason 'that only the bees know', they just don't go to it. I've seen youtubes of how bees fly straight into pollen sub and then return home. Not happening here.

No beetles here at this point ~

So I was think along this path, of simply putting the nutrition right into the sugar syrup...










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Offline yukonjeff

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2022, 12:55:36 am »
I find my bees wont eat my pollen patty unless they are brooding. If your in a dearth and they don't have much brood they might not eat it.
My experience anyway.

In fact my bees wont brood up at all in the spring until real pollen comes in. Even a patty won't stimulate them.   

Offline Jen

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2022, 01:51:31 am »
Similar Jeff ~ there seems to be enough pollen stored in the frames, there simply isn't enough nectar. So, if I'm going to have to feed all summer long and provide food that they will be storing for winter, then I want to give them a more nutritious syrup, closer to what nectar is.
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2022, 08:13:09 pm »
Just some things to consider about Honey Bee Healthy, I've only used it once, when I was a newbee.  Its benefits are debated.  On the one hand, many people feel the extra vitamins/minerals are beneficial for the bees, but others worry that its antifungal and antibacterial properties could disrupt the bees' gut flora.  It is also a feeding stimulant, so the bees will generally consume syrup laced with it with more vigor regardless of whether it's doing them good or not, and it can also cause serious robbing as a result.   
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Offline iddee

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2022, 04:59:59 am »
"and it can also cause serious robbing as a result.""

Times 3.....
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2022, 09:43:53 pm »
I like to use a gallon paint can...    Poke about five holes in the lid. fill with syrup, put the lid on, turn upside down and wait for it to stop dripping, and put it either over the hole in the inner cover, or ON the top of the frames, depending on time of year...  later fall on the frames is fine, spring, summer and early fall you might find new comb attached to the can.  If you have no flow they will be very great full !

   Pollen sub in the spring..... I have litterally seen by bees dive bomb the stuff... hitting with a tiny PUFF of the pollen substitute, wiggle all around in it, and then ZOOM back to the hive...  you will know if they don't need it because they will ignore it...  like syrup. If they have a flow they won't go for the syrup with much excitement...
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Offline Jen

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2022, 12:00:15 pm »
Hi Lazy  ;) .... so this is my original question:

"I knew early on this year that I would be feeding syrup for most of this season. I'm pondering using a syrup that has more nutrients in it other than simple sugar syrup, but I don't want a syrup from Mann or Dadant that is corn syrup based. Wondering if there is a recipe or suggestion on how I can make a more nutritious syrup for bees from my kitchen?"

I'm going to be feeding for the next 4 months. When bees bring home nectar and pollen, they are bringing home a more nutritious food than 1:1 sugar syrup. Sugar syrup works fine for spring and fall feeding. The bees have plenty of pollen, they just don't have nearly enough nectar. I'm looking for a more nutritious substance that I can add to syrup. If you scroll up you'll see that I have posted some substances that can be added to syrup. I haven't had any experience is nutritious additives.

Starting today, I'm also reading up on Scientific Beekeeping Randy Oliver, on probiotics and bee nutrition. It's a ton of reading, so I was hoping someone on this forum might know some better feeding information.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Feeding Bees
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2022, 10:04:26 pm »
Fructose is the main sugar found in honey. Table sugar is Sucrose, or fructose and glucose combined. It is fine for the bees. If you wish to add something more, look at Hive Alive. I have heard some really good things about it. Some of the stories bordering on the difficult to believe side.. so I have taken it with a grain of salt...   But I did look it up and it seems legit.
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