Stores for Bees

[brooksbeefarm]

Just wanted to get some others opinion on this. We have a club member that says to leave the bees there winter stores from their spring stores only, that fall honey is junk? He claims it's no good for the bees to survive on and sugar syrup is the same Of course i dis agree . What do you think?? Jack
PS. this member grew up beekeeping as a young boy in NY. and has been a member of our club here in Mo.for many years (he's in his mid 60's now.

[riverbee]

not sure why he thinks that jack? but i disagree. late summer and fall honey is all i ever leave on.  some folks also don't like to feed sugar syrup, but syrup is really the next best to feed them.

[efmesch]

There can be one advantage to overwintering on sugar syrup---it is never a source of bee diseases.  But it is only calories and of no other nutritional value for the bees.  Honey from a diseased colony, spring, summer or fall can do your bees in over the winter.

Spring honey is usually lighter than late summer/fall honey.  As I understand it, this is an indication that there are more "natural additives" to be found in summer/fall honey and I would think that it is better than spring honey for overwintering on.   I have no esperimental proof of this statement other than to say that my bees overwinter well on their summer/fall honey.

[Riverrat]

That makes no sense.  Does he extract and sell the fall honey.  If so isn't he selling humans something he wouldn't  let his bees eat.

[brooksbeefarm]

Rat, that's what i don't understand, he says to take what ever excess spring honey and throw the fall honey away, it's no good?? He is a good beekeeper and has alot of knowledge about bees, he has taught and given many speeches for our club and has brought up many times about sugar and fall honey being bad for bees. I have set and bit my tongue many times not wanting to cause an argument, but have decided to ask what he basis this on the next time it comes up. My thinking is, the bees wouldn't gather and store it if it wasn't any good?? Jack

[iddee]

Ask him if you can have all his summer and fall honey he is throwing away. I bet that will get him back pedaling real quick.

[Perry]

Perhaps he is under the assumption that the fall/late honey granulates very quickly and is harder for the bees to use?

[brooksbeefarm]

Hmmm, i never thought of that perry, I'll ask him that iddee Thanks rb,ef,rat, good thoughts. Jack

[Jen]

Jack- "My thinking is, the bees wouldn't gather and store it if it wasn't any good?? Jack

     I am in agreeance with all the others here. However, I'm not so sure about your statement when my bees brought home bright red hummingbird food. Unless my bees just love junk food    Actually, I think at the time that's all they had to pick from.

[LazyBkpr]

I was always taught the fall honey was the best for overwintering for the reasons mentioned above..  Reserve some spring honey just in case, but it is preferable that they make up reserves in the fall..
   Differing oppinions on weather it is actually BETTER abound, but I have never spoken with anyone who believes fall honey is WORSE..   Goldenrod honey is not a lot worse than Dandelion honey as far as how it tastes..   I would use either, and I would extract either.

[lazy shooter]

Stores for bees, hmmm?  I would think bees would like flower shops and some of the feed and supply stores. 

[riverbee]

jack, perry probably is onto something, sometime back i read something from an old bee culture or abj journal, and i mean from 30 years ago, wish i could find it.....about fall honeys, and i can't remember if it was about granulation or crystallization, or the thicker viscosity of the honey? maybe that's what he thinks?  or maybe he just doesn't like fall honey himself...........to call it junk is bunk......  

i agree with others, tell him to give me his fall honey, i will figure out what to do with it......

for me, not sure how i'd switch out the spring honey, cuz it's on top in supers....and i sure as heck am not going into a deep hive during a ramp up in brood rearing in the spring to remove deep frames of spring honey bees need for brood rearing to replace with what? empty frames? to feed the bees in the fall ?  i don't think so.  might ask him that as well jack?