NY Area keepers - are you feeding yet?

[Davepeg]

We have two hives - both seem to be OK (I listened with my stethoscope the other day and heard buzzing).  Have not opened the hives at all.  When should I start to feed?  I was going to place a feeder up top inside a box - good idea\bad idea?  If we have a 35+ degree day do I dare open and peak?

[rubeehaven2]

This is my first winter with bees here in the Hudson valley and a place just opened nearby who were (are) very helpful.

http://www.hudsonvalleybeesupply.com/

Some of the advice I've received thus far is to only "dry feed" in winter.  First, I put a spacer bar between the frames and the inner cover, then, placed a piece of paper directly on top of the frames and poured sugar on top of the paper.  Then, placed the inner cover and cover back on.  I haven't checked them since.

But, they said if the bees are in the upper level, they may be getting low on stores, so I guess better safe than sorry.  Mine were all over the tops of the frames, so I gave them a pile of sugar to munch on.

I don't know where in NY you are, but if your close to Kingston area you should check the place out.

Rich

[buzzbee]

If you have a warm calm day,take a peek. Do not do a full inspection. If the boxes still feel heavy lifting a back corner,leave them bee. You will not want to feed syrup until you see some fifty degree weather,it is still to cold. At the beginning of march  or last week of February I think you coul get some pollen patties on the top bars above the cluster. If your hives are lite and it's cold, you can put an extra box on and feed dry sugar.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,36001.0.html

Or see the Mt. Camp method here:
Winter Feeding Honeybees

[Davepeg]

We have done the dry feed method in the past for weak hives - not sure if it really helped, I think it was too late.  Hopefully I'll be able to do a quick check within the next week!

rich - thanks for the info on the hudson bee supply - I ordered a nuc yesterday!  Although I hope that I'll be able to do a split from one of my own.  We need more over wintered bees in the region.

[Robo]

Yes,  I fed sugar about 3 weeks ago when we had a warm spell.   Most still had stores, but there were a couple that were low.   I plan on going back in the next couple weeks (hopefully there will be another warm spell) and start on pollen patties.