# Bring Out Your Dead! - Bees still alive!



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Both my colonies are really active with the warm (50 degrees!) spell we're having here in northern Illinois. There's probably a quarter pound of dead bees all in front of the hive on their little porch, and while I watched I could see others dragging out the bodies of others in various states of dead. 

I guess things are going normal inside. I haven't popped the box and now it's raining and cold again so I don't really want to expose them to that. Seems to me if the bees are cleaning house then all is right with the world. 

All you long-time beekeepers who have had colonies make it through the winter are probably laughing at this, but I'm really excited to have had them make it this far.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Didja heft the boxes to check stores? Mine felt light, so since it was unseasonably warm, I mixed a batch of 2-to-1 syrup and fed them. 

It's good to get them "this far", but late winter and early spring freezes are the most dangerous times as far as starvation. Keep an eye on your girls & good luck!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I checked all ours at home yesterday. They are all still flying. I rearanged a lot of honey filled frames in some of the boxes as they were close to the top.
Will start making candy boards today. Will place one on all the colonies as soon as they are all made.

 Al


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

So I guess since they're still alive it would be a good time to introduce some feed to them. Does anyone have any advice on that? 

I've seen those little feeder trays in the bee catalogs (which my wife calls 'beekeeper pornography') but I haven't ordered any or discussed it with the members of my beekeeping association. I don't know what kind of feed trays to buy, nor what to put in them, nor when to put them out in the hive, nor how often to refill it.


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## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

Candy boards?


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Ernie said:


> So I guess since they're still alive it would be a good time to introduce some feed to them. Does anyone have any advice on that?


Hi Ernie,

There are lots of options for winter feeding. Different options depend on just how cold your winter is, how "desperate" your bees are (low stores, no stores), how much longer 'til spring, etc.

I fed 2-to-1 syrup in a hive-top feeder since we were having a few days of temps above 50 degrees and I knew the girls could get to it easily. Pail feeders set on the inner cover (along with an empty super) also work well. I've also used "baggie feeders", i.e., 1 gallon ziploc filled with syrup, laid flat, directly on the top bars, with a few small razor-blade slits cut in upside. I have some frame feeders, but haven't used them in the winter. Last winter, during a bitter cold spell, I put granulated sugar and some snow on the inner cover. Other beeks put newspaper on the topbars and granulated sugar on top of that (pictures here: http://wvbeekeeper.blogspot.com/2008/01/are-your-bees-alive-do-you-need-to-feed.html)

I know several beeks who are having good success using candy boards - a beek I know sells them for $25 and they sell as fast as he can make them. 

Good luck!


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I'll try the granulated sugar and see if that doesn't help. We've got a bright sunny day here so I'll go out and peek inside the hives. 

Thanks for the info and for the new beekeeper blog link.


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

I had to settle for listening after I swept out the bottom board, all 8 were humming away which is a first for this time of year Giddy doesn't even come close!

I wouldn't put syrup in the hive this time of year, moisture is the worst thing for them. I've got sugar on the top bars of half, and the newspaper and sugar are soaked with condensation from the cluster. The bees haven't done more than nibble at it yet, but they'll burn through stores faster and faster these next few months.

Keep the mice out!


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## sparky5982 (Nov 25, 2007)

indypartridge said:


> Last winter, during a bitter cold spell, I put granulated sugar and some snow on the inner cover. Other beeks put newspaper on the topbars and granulated sugar on top of that (pictures here: http://wvbeekeeper.blogspot.com/2008/01/are-your-bees-alive-do-you-need-to-feed.html)



I also took advantage of the freakish IL weather last week to throw on some feed in Top Hive Feeders. I had to pull them off when the temperatures got back to normal, though. It will freeze and ruin the feeders, crack and soak the bees if you leave them on. When it is cold, the bees can't get to it anyway.

I've seen some BK's use a nozzle to fill empty frames with honey and place them in the hive.

indypartridge, That's an interesting approach with the sugar icing that you show on the link above. How do you mix it? Do you have problems with it drying in the hives and the bees being unable to remove it?


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