Feeding Winter Patties

[Jen]

How long do I feed winter patties? It's a temperature thing right?

[Perry]

Pretty much till you see them bring in groceries for them selves.

[Jen]

So that would be the first flow... when they are very busy at the front of the hive and knocking each other over to get in and back out for more nectar foraging... ?

[riverbee]

jen, what i would do is remove the patty once it's warm enough to feed them syrup in your climate, and then take that off when they are ignoring the syrup, stop taking it.  they will ignore it and stop taking it if they don't need it and/or once a flow is on.

[Jen]

Hi riv! hope your feeling better today, or soon.

""jen, what i would do is remove the patty once it's warm enough to feed them syrup in your climate""

So here's the problem, my local bee guru says to start feeding syrup when the bees are bringing in the first creamy colored pollen. Guess What?!? They are already doing that.... it's too cold for syrup yet!

Sooo, I'm guessing at.. steady days of 50 degrees?

I'll make another couple of calls around here

[LazyBkpr]

Already?    :'(    Not a chance here.. still snow on the ground and expecting 8 inches tomorrow...
   So, how MUCH pollen are they bringing in?  Once every ten minutes or ten bees in fifteen seconds?
   When they start bringing in pollen hard and fast I pull my feeders.  "MY" bees are gluttons, it does NOT matter how good the flow is, if there is syrup out, they are SWARMING around it and hauling as much as they can back to the hives. I ended up with brood chambers BOUND solid with syrup the first time I fed because I was waiting for them to stop taking it..   

[Slowmodem]

jen, what i would do is remove the patty once it's warm enough to feed them syrup in your climate, and then take that off when they are ignoring the syrup, stop taking it.  they will ignore it and stop taking it if they don't need it and/or once a flow is on.

It's my understanding that small hive beetles love pollen patties (or pollen in general).  So if SHBs are in your area, be attentive to the hives and watch for hive beetles.

[Jen]

Lazy ""So, how MUCH pollen are they bringing in?  Once every ten minutes or ten bees in fifteen seconds?""

It's been the last couple of weeks. But mostly last week, three of the days were 60-65. Usually we're shoveling snow. I average pollen intake by counting 10 bees coming in, then using my fingers to tally up how many are carrying pollen. There were 5 out of 10 bees carrying pollen, and they would land on their porch and have to wait for the bee in front to go the the entrance.

I was sitting watching them and chewing my nails whispering... Stooooop! Stoooop!.. it's too sooon! winter is still here, it's just a freak warm spell... Stoooooop!

[Jen]

 Lazy ""When they start bringing in pollen hard and fast I pull my feeders.""

Wait! You mean the bees are eating the pollen? I thought it was stored for the babies?

[Jen]

Slow- ""It's my understanding that small hive beetles love pollen patties (or pollen in general).  So if SHBs are in your area, be attentive to the hives and watch for hive beetles.""

What would I look for with small hive beetles?

[LazyBkpr]

Pollen and nectar usually go hand in hand. If they are bringing in pollen they are usually getting nectar as well..
   If if thats not normal for this time of year in you area, and you have no supers on then its probably not a worry if your still feeding.

[iddee]

The pollen is used for the larva.When it is coming in heavy, they are raising more and more new bees. This is the time they will starve quickly. I'm talking 1 to 3 days, and dead. Check before removing the feeder. They may have to have it. Pollen does normally start before the nectar flow.

[Slowmodem]

What would I look for with small hive beetles?

You should find out if they're in your area.  They might not be.  But if they are, they'll reproduce in your hive and could ruin your honey.  They love pollen.  If you have a strong hive, the bees will keep the beetles in check, herded into the corner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_hive_beetle

If SHB is in your area, keep that in mind when you feed pollen patty.



http://pest.ceris.purdue.edu/map.php?code=INBJQEA&year=3year#

[Jen]

Thanks Slow! and I've read that the beetle may be on the undrside of the lid?