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Author Topic: Feeding during fall nectar flow?  (Read 4455 times)

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Offline ledifni

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Feeding during fall nectar flow?
« on: October 18, 2014, 11:56:33 am »
So, just a quick question for the group.  There seems to be a nectar flow on in my area (not sure what kind of nectar, but I do notice that my bees are *very* busy and coming back heavy with pollen and nectar).  I've been feeding them so they can quickly draw out the comb in the additional box I put on last week and fill it up for winter.  However...I don't want to distract them from collecting the good stuff.  Should I hold off on feeding till the field nectar slows down?  Or would it be better to keep feeding to make sure they aren't short when it starts getting cold?  They probably have another month or two before it gets too cold for them to be out and about.

Keep in mind, these bees were a very weak trapped-out hive just a month ago.  If they hadn't been so weak earlier in the fall, I wouldn't even consider feeding them right now; but I'm trying to give them the best possible chance to survive the winter.  Maybe I should inspect and check their honey stores before I make a decision?
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Offline iddee

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Re: Feeding during fall nectar flow?
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2014, 12:01:43 pm »
Keep feeding. If the flow is strong enough to keep all foragers busy, they won't touch the feed. If the flow only works half the foragers, the other half will haul sugar water.
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Feeding during fall nectar flow?
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2014, 12:27:41 pm »
Like iddee said,JMHO, this time of year the temp. can be warm one day and cold the next with cold nights, and the bees won't take syrup when the temp. gets to 45F to 50F. They need all the help they can get now. Jack
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Offline ledifni

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Re: Feeding during fall nectar flow?
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2014, 01:29:05 pm »
Yep went ahead and put in about a gallon.  I checked several frames and they still have a lot of wax to draw...6 frames are completely untouched.  Thanks for the advice guys :)
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Gypsi

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Re: Feeding during fall nectar flow?
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2014, 08:23:06 pm »
Good answers too.  I had no time to fill feeders yesterday, just filled mine this morning.  Bee club advises feeding 2:1 (2 lb sugar per pint of water) this time of year, but we are bone dry out here again and the girls are hauling water from the ponds, so I put a quart of 1:1 on all 3 of my hives this morning. Haven't had time to go back through beyond confirming the new queen was laying in the smallest hive. Taxes, and I adopted a giant dog (my heart is bigger than my brain or my wallet on this I am pretty sure, already out a couple of hundred, hope he will train and adapt....)
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