Author Topic: Advice on Winter Feeding (Read 21529 times)

crazy8days · « **Reply #20 on:** December 30, 2013, 11:16:25 am »

I have a couple light hives. A few days ago I had a short work day. 9 hrs! It was 50 degrees out so I checked on hives. They were almost out of fondant. It was already late in the day so I couldn't add more to them. It'll be in the low 20's till Wednesday. Suppose to warm up to 40. I'll have the day off so I'll go out and add more fondant to these 2 hives. Don't like that they are so low.

Jen · « **Reply #21 on:** December 30, 2013, 12:24:29 pm »

I'm thinking about making my own winter patties. Youtube has a couple of recipies called 'Grease patties' using Crisco shortening? Really! That Is Disgusting!

Are grease patties the same as winter patties? please tell me it's not so... blech

iddee · « **Reply #22 on:** December 30, 2013, 12:26:03 pm »

It's not so.......

Grease patties are to treat for tracheal mites, not for feeding bees.

Jen · « **Reply #23 on:** December 30, 2013, 01:58:57 pm »

But the bees still can eat it right? that's what the one youtuber was making them for, winter food. How would these grease patties treat trach mites? Let me think..... if the trach mites go for the throat, then the crisco shortening would be too gooey in the throat for the trach's to survive?

Jen · « **Reply #24 on:** December 30, 2013, 02:00:41 pm »

If you want this question posted on the pests forum just say so

riverbee · « **Reply #25 on:** January 01, 2014, 05:36:21 pm »

jen, no need to post your question in pests and diseases, but if you would like, start a thread on treatment for trachael mites using grease patties there.

just for clarification, can you post the link to the you tube video you are referring to? like iddee said grease patties are not used for winter feed. they might be added in addition to, but posting the link to the video would help us answer your question.

Jen · « **Reply #26 on:** January 01, 2014, 07:47:22 pm »

Okee Doke, I'll look it up again. Thanks!

Jen · « **Reply #27 on:** January 04, 2014, 11:04:32 pm »

I haven't seen this method before, what do you guys think?

G3farms · « **Reply #28 on:** January 05, 2014, 04:12:09 am »

That looked a little thin to me. I would like to have seen how they cleaned it up and how many casualties there were.

Perry · « **Reply #29 on:** January 05, 2014, 07:07:00 am »

Something I noticed was that he mentioned making up the 1 to 1 syrup about a month ago. I would have been making it 2 to 1 at that time of year.

Crofter · « **Reply #30 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:42:04 am »

It seemed like a pretty insignificant amount of feed and quite a bit of unnecessary empty space up top.

riverbee · « **Reply #31 on:** January 05, 2014, 12:06:51 pm »

my humble opinion? i wouldn't use this method, and for reasons already stated. sometimes we can do more harm to our bees than good.

i am confused was he using powdered/confectioner's sugar or granulated sugar?
"kinda taking a risk at opening the hive at 30 degrees".....i'd say so, and left the lid off too long, my HO. (pushing it a little at that temp).
cold wet syrup running/dripping on the cluster?
like others said, this is not enough, and like perry said 2:1 vs. 1:1
he didn't need the spacer, but didn't appear to be using an inner cover.

Jen · « **Reply #32 on:** January 05, 2014, 12:50:15 pm »

riv- he put granulated sugar in the blender and made his own powdered sugar, because store bought pwd sugar has corn starch in it. Then added the pwd sugar to his syrup. I can see how the bees would enjoy it cause it easy to consume. But I dunno, what if you get a real warm day... gooey mess dropping on the bees, condensation.

iddee · « **Reply #33 on:** January 05, 2014, 01:24:18 pm »

THINK... A medium frame holds more than a quart of honey. Now, just how much did he feed them. Replacing the heat loss from opening the hive the way he did, cost them more food consumption than he fed. His end result was helping to deplete their stores.

Jen · « **Reply #34 on:** January 05, 2014, 03:01:04 pm »

Well!! Okay!! But I was more concerned about the actual sugar sauce that he made for them and if it was going to ooz thru the newspaper.

ps I'M ALWAYS THINKING

iddee · « **Reply #35 on:** January 05, 2014, 03:09:08 pm »

"ps I'M ALWAYS THINKING"

So that's where all the smoke is coming from. I thought it was from the California wildfires.

Riverrat · « **Reply #36 on:** January 05, 2014, 03:58:37 pm »

I haven't chimed in on the feeding thread until now. After some thought I am unsure but it sounds like theirs more talk of winter feeding on the forums this winter than in past years. My take is if you got your winter preparation right and start into winter with heavy hives you shouldn't have to worry about feeding until mid to late February when brood rearing begins. At that point they will begin to blow through the stores and if mother nature plays by the rules it should be warm enough when hives get light to add 1:1 syrup which would be in mid to late march.

Jen · « **Reply #37 on:** January 05, 2014, 05:23:47 pm »

Hardy Har Har Mr. Wizard ~wink~

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #38 on:** January 05, 2014, 06:29:23 pm »

Quote from: MinnieMo on January 05, 2014, 03:58:37 pm

My take is if you got your winter preparation right and start into winter with heavy hives you shouldn't have to worry about feeding until mid to late February when brood rearing begins. At that point they will begin to blow through the stores and if mother nature plays by the rules it should be warm enough when hives get light to add 1:1 syrup which would be in mid to late march.

Thats exactly right MM..
This guy just added a lot of moisture to his hives as well as very little feed hes using migratory covers.. I didnt see if he had any other ventilation, but it looked like trouble to me. I like the granulated sugar because it helps absorb some moisture not add it. I opened my hives when it was that cold my mentor would slap me upside the head with a hailstone the size of a baseball.
Last part of December, January and February I just dont get chances to open the hives. If I dont have something on there beforehand they don't get it. Not sure how much good the preps are going to do this year. All I can do is cross my fingers and wait.

riverbee · « **Reply #39 on:** January 05, 2014, 07:04:05 pm »

i really have to say, that video is not something i would be proud of, or posted on you tube....just my HO. further, it's unfortunate that beginning beeks will follow or try this, with detrimental results.

jen, would never add or use powdered sugar. would most likely not open a hive at 30 degrees and keep the lid off the way he did, and wouldn't feed them the little amount of 'slop' he did. just my HO. i see this stuff sometimes.....well.....

what iddee said and what the 'wizard' (lol) (MM) said. MM is right on about leaving the bees enough stores to get them through until march. if that means feeding them in the fall to get them heavy or leaving an extra super on, so be it, better than what is shown in this video.

and even when we do all the right things to ensure the hives are heavy, we lose our bees for other reasons. but this video is not an appropriate way to feed bees, again my HO.