A damp paper towel or newsprint placed over the inner cover hole AND then an 'empty super' (nor frames, nor bees, placed over that, fill cavity w/ 5-10 lbs of sugar (some beeks will lightly spray it) cover up and done. Shouldn't take more than 30 seconds.
Is that something adult entertainment?
I am sitting now in my capital city apartment. My hives are 150 km far away. There 1 metre snow taround hives. Dry sugar and newspapers. Sure. Ridiculous beekeeping.
Like one beekeeper in Alaska wrote, he feeds 50 kg sugar per hive. You really know what to do there. 50 kg dry sugar on newspaper?
You have there so high winter losses that I would keep my mouth shut if I were you.
The Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted an online survey to estimate honey bee colony losses for the 2010/2011 winter season. A total of 5,572 U.S. beekeepers, or 20%a of the estimated number of beekeepers in the country, responded. Collectively these beekeepers managed over 15%b of the country’s estimated 2.68 million colonies.
Preliminary survey results indicate that
30% of managed honey bee colonies in the United States were lost during the 2010/2011 winter.
34% of the total colony loss in the winters of 2009/2010;
29% in 2008/2009;
36% in 2007/2008; and
32% in 2006/2007.
.
April 2010 :
Ohio beekeepers are reporting a loss of up to 75 percent of their hives.It's not just a problem this year though. It actually started back in 2008 due to colony collapse disorder. The exact reasoning for the disorder hasn't been determined, but the other factor aiding in this year's loss is the prolonged period of colder weather. Bees haven't been able to keep the honey at 100 degrees in order to eat it.
"There might be honey in the hive, but they can't get to it and warm it up. In essence, they starve to death even though they're surrounded by food,