3rd box & still feeding?

[mtnb]

Hi guys. Just wondering...This weekend I'll be putting on my 3rd box. I have a 8 frame deep with 5 deep nuc frames and 3 of mymedium foundationless frames on the bottom, then a medium with all foundationless (those frames you can see if you want to look at the link on the bottom. 2 on the outside were untouched so on Wednesday I moved them in one) I plan on adding another box of foundationless frames over the weekend and am wondering if I should continue feeding them. As far as I understand it, I should feed them until they have all the comb drawn out. They still need to draw this other box and more so should I continue to feed them? I'm not sure how to know if they choose to make the next box for honey or if they want more brood. Should I bait them up with a frame of brood or maybe just a frame they've partially started?

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/MTBeeGirl/library/1%20Month%20Hive%20Inspection?sort=2&page=1

(foundationless frames 2,3,4,5,close up of 5, 6,7, and a shot down into the deep)

[BeeMaster2]

We need more info.
Do you have a good flow on? If yes, then no.
If no flow, are you expecting a flow and are you trying to build up the hive?
Remember, bees have been just fine for over 200,000,000 years without us interfering.
Jim

[biggraham610]

I'm with Jim...... except........, as long as they arent backfilling the broodnest, i would continue to feed merely for the sake of getting more drawn comb. Drawn comb is gold to a new beek. I'm in my third year and would kill for a few dozen extra frames of drawn comb. Makes expansion a whole lot easier. Some say just a few small holes in the feeder will keep them stimulated enough to keep drawing comb, but not fill the nest. I will try when our flow dries up and I pull my honey. Like Jim said, if there is a flow on, they will pull comb fine. In that case, feed is useless, they probably wont take it anyway, but when it dries up, different story. Keep up the good work. :wink:G

[KeyLargoBees]

Being a noob I am still learning every day. I see what you mean about the bees ignoring the feed once a heavy flow starts. The Palm trees are popping out here in the keys and black mangroves are going too....and the bees are going berserk on the flowers. I still have a feeder jar on my new hive to help them build comb but when the palms popped they went from 1.5 Q a week to just sipping it maybe .5Q in the past week. Swapped out the lid to just   6 holes on the quart jar and they are sipping it but not using it like they used to.

[mtnb]

To be honest, I'm so new at this that I'm not sure if there's a flow on. lol I tried researching online and it seems in MT, things slow down in July but pick back up again. They are bringing in some pollen, just not like they used to. I do see some weeds blooming right now and I know pretty soon there will be wild sunflowers along the roads. They are still taking the syrup. Using a baggie feeder and they take about 6 cups, every 5 days still. I put 3-4 small slits onto that. Does pollen = nectar? I thought I read that they can still be bringing in nectar even if they're not bringing pollen.

I do want to build them up this year so that I can split them in the spring. I would love to have a little nuc that I could use just for comb production. Been reading 50 Years Among the Bees and learning a lot from that. Mr. Miller produced comb honey and didn't feed them but he also had his brood frames already done. I feel like next year, once they have a good brood nest built, I can not worry about feeding them for comb honey. I do not want dependent bees. lol

So is there a way to know if they'll use this next box for brood or honey?

[Michael Bush]

If you have been feeding constantly I'm amazed they haven't swarmed already.  I would have stopped feeding them two months ago.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm

[mtnb]

Yes, thank you, that explains it nicely. I've been curious because in the old time books I read they feed when necessary and I'm afraid I've been listening to some online beekeepers who say to stimulate feed when I honestly don't know how they know what they know. My fault. I need to read some of Brother Adam's stuff, I think...oh boy, the Christmas bookwishlist is getting long lol.

 So now do I just make them go cold turkey or do I wean them off? From my memory, things should be coming into bloom July, August. I almost think cold turkey would be better. From my own experience. lol It sucks for a couple of days but then it's all better. (cigs ;))

Anyway, I only have them for a month now so I couldn't have stopped feeding them 2 months ago. :) It was my understanding that I should continue feeding until a.) they stop taking it on their own or b.) they have enough comb drawn out for the brood nest. ...they are still taking what I'm giving them and I'm not sure how far their brood nest needs to go or what they plan on doing next. lol All I know is that I'm adding a box tomorrow. Whether they turn that into brood or honey storage is up to them I guess?. lol 

...I mean, let's look at my goal. I'm trying to build them up into a big colony so they overwinter and I can split them next spring.... That's another question I had. What constitutes a weak or a strong colony? I guess if I had 2, I could compare and say ok this one is weaker or stronger than this one. How do you judge when you only have one? ...so is that the goal I want to have this year? What would be a better goal? Eventually I'd like live bees and honey. 

PS. It says it in the For Dummies book, under Starting and stopping sugar syrup feeedings..."The exception is for a newly established colony - in which case you should continue feeding syrup until all the frames of foundation are drawn into comb, or until the bees stop feeding on the syrup - whichever comes first." I'm sure that's where I got it from.