# should I feed them?



## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I've been reading that with the extreme heat and dry some people are feeding their bees. I don't know if I need to or not....so.....
This is my first year keeping bees. I did take a bee class so I'm not completly clueless....but I'm not sure if thats better or worse! I installed 3 packages of bees on April 26th. The hives are aproximately 12 feet apart facing southward. I am using mediums supers as hive bodies, I hope to have them up to 3 mediums by winter and am not planning on taking any honey this year. I fed the bees with 2:1 syrup mixed with the meds, and dusted with the meds for the first several weeks as instructed. About a month ago I added the second super to all three hives. They are close to the pond so water is not an issue....but not much of anything out there is blooming and it is record heat and dry here the last week or two.

Much like my children, despite being treated exactly the same the hives are developing differently. Hive one is slow moving, I see bee's buzzing around it and but little bearding of the outside. When I opened it today I found more bee's than I expected though. Was very busy on the inside. Looked like maybe a 1/4 of the second super was worked. The bottom super seemed pretty busy but I did not find very much brood. I didn't pull every frame (Its HOT already out there!) but I did find some brood on the second frame I pulled. Compared to the other two hives the bees in this hive were very mellow, not a lot of buzzing going on just carried on with their business despite my interuption.

Hive two always looks busy. Bees everywhere. Beards on the outside of the hive every evening. When I opened it almost all the top super was being worked. I had to pull three frames in the bottom super before I found brood.

Hive three is the middle child, not as busy as hive two but busier than hive one. Suprisingly when I opened it the top super was fuller than hive two, and heavier when I lifted it off. I'm thinking they may be ready for the third super soon. And I found brood on the first frame I pulled from the bottom super.

I really want these guys to make it through the winter. I'm tempted to feed them some 1.1 syrup to keep them strong....but I've read where some people seem to think it's a good idea and others do not. What do y'all think?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Were it me I would give them 1:1 syrup till they had all three mediums fully drawn out. Then you could put on a honey super if you want.

 Al


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

Thanks
I think I will. I kind of wanted to feed them but I didn't want to make a stupid beginner mistake


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

The girls are smarter than you think. I'd put one of Al's gallon jar feeders in a neutral location where they can still find it and not fight over what's in it. If you find out that they're going through it quickly or that there's fighting, simply put out another feeder to spread them out. This feeder is simply a gallon jar with a metal lid that has small holes in the lid big enough for them to stick their tongues in and suck up the syrup. Invert the jar onto a couple of sticks placed on the edge of the jar. The girls will then go under the jar lid and get the syrup. Those that want it and need it will feed on it and bring it back to the hive. Those hives that prefer nectar will ignore the feeder and find other sources. HOWEVER, once you decide you want to put a honey super on the hives, remove the feeder(s). You don't want sugar syrup in your honey. Not sure if they move it around any though.... 

Another thought .... If you don't intend to harvest any honey for yourself this year, I'd probably go ahead and keep feeding them until they've drawn out as much as they wanted. When you winter them, take the honey supers off and either feed it back to them in the fall or in the spring when their stores are low.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I do not recommend open feeding. At this time of year you will be feeding a gazillion yellow jackets other wasp and hornets too.

Just put the gallon jars over the hole in the inter cover, place some more hive bodies around it. One deep or two mediums. And best of all would be a hive top feeder. I see no reason to spend good money to attract wasp hornbets and other critters to a feeder.

You may want to put some tiny shims between boxes and the intercover for ventilation. Prop the outer cover for ventilation too.












 Al


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Good point, Al!! I hadn't thought of all the other critters that would be attracted to that.


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## mtnmenagerie (Jun 16, 2007)

alleyyooper said:


> I do not recommend open feeding. At this time of year you will be feeding a gazillion yellow jackets other wasp and hornets too.
> 
> Just put the gallon jars over the hole in the inter cover, place some more hive bodies around it. One deep or two mediums. And best of all would be a hive top feeder. I see no reason to spend good money to attract wasp hornbets and other critters to a feeder.
> 
> ...


Al - is that feeder on empty boxes? or are you putting it on each hive?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Here is some summer bearded bees.Enough to scare the pants off a New BEE:runforhills:.










That is a split. Two deeps on the bottom faceing south. A double screen board with the entrance faceing north, then the deep with the new queen and the intercover with syrup jar on top waiting for the deep to surround it.

 Al


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I have some one quart feeders that go on the front of the hive that I used when I was medicating them. I'm guessing those will be ok? I don't have any empty hive bodies or supers just now. In fact I've got to go down and buy 3 more supers and frames to set up the last "hive body" super for each hive this weekend. It was just too expensive to buy EVERYTHING at once so I've been buying supplies here and there as I can. Beekeeping is an expensive hobby to get started in. Doesn't look like it will be so bad after all the initial purchases are made, but all the little stuff you need to sure starts adds up!

Thanks for the help everyone. I made the syrup and I'm gonna put it in the feeders here shortly. I'll keep them fed until they stop taking it or all the supers are full. Thanks so much for the help!


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

WOW! Hive one and two went through an entire quart of 1:1 syrup EACH in about 20 hours! Hive three hardly took any of the syrup in the jar on their hive. I'll make up more syrup of hive one and two today and get to work assemblying the new supers I bought to go on all three hives.

Thanks guys
They must have really not been getting enough considering how fast they went through that first quart each!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

A good rule of thumb is *when in drought feed*.

 Al


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

Thanks so much for the advice to feed them. If you've been reading the thread my friend and neighbor CarolT put up about losing one of her hives you'll see I must have gotten really lucky to get your good advice to start feeding just a few days before she did. Thanks so much!

I got the third medium intended to be a hive body put on all three hives yesterday. I put the new super with the fresh undrawn wax foundation in the middle to encourage them to go ahead and fill it in. I was trying to hurry because is was REALLY HOT in that bee veil and long sleaves but I did pull a frame from the top box on each hive for a quick look. I found brood in the top box on both hives 2 and 3. Hive one had a LOT of bees and were working the top box but no brood in it yet. Hopefully I can get them to draw out all the comb and store enough to stay alive before winter. All three hives are going through a quart of 1.1 sugar syrup every day. They sure are going through a LOT of sugar but I don't want to get stingy now and lose them after this much work!

And also~ pretty sure I got my first sting this week too. I was working in the garden when I stood up and it felt like my arm pit caught fire! I'm pretty sure I accidently squished a girl between my body and my arm when I stood up. Hurt a LOT and swole up some but less than I feared so GOODY!

Thanks so much for all the good advice y'all offer here. We really appreciate it!


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