Feeding package bees in August

[amandrea]

Started my package bees in late May in a deep box. Added a medium super when this was almost full and added another medium when this one was almost full. Second medium has recieved attention and work but no wax yet. A look at the weather report for central Jersey said rain all week so I gave them a pound of sugar in 2:1 solution. Rained all day today, nonstop. I'm starting to think I should have given them more to keep them busy. Anyone agree?

[pdmattox]

If it is rainy and stores are light then I would feed.

[TwT]

if you are in new jersey and got your packages in may, I would have feed until 2 deeps were filled and if they was still taking it I would have added another deep and let them fill that, the only thing you have to watch is if they start filling brood chamber with syrup, then I would have change out frames and stop feeding,,,,,,, if the hive isn't looking good with store or brood then feed......

[Michael Bush]

If the weight is increasing without feeding, I'd leave them alone.  If the weight is decreasing, I'd feed them.

[Moonshae]

I'm in central Jersey, too. I was feeding a bit earlier this month, my hives were completely out of honey (both started as packages in May). They seem to be doing better now, so I've stopped, but may resume in September.

[Bennettoid]

I'm in Slower Lower Delaware and between the drought all summer and now this never ending rain, I've been struggling to keep up with all the sugar syrup they are taking. Even the hive that had stopped taking syrup months ago is now taking about a quart a day.

[Brian D. Bray]

There are flowers blooming and the bees are bringing back pollen but the honey stores have started going in reverse.  All my hives are double boxes and when I lifted them they seemed to weigh less than 20 lbs each.  That includes 2 brood boxes, stand, SBB, top, and slatted rack, plus the bees, comb, and contents.  I got concerned when I took 2 of my hives 300 miles to my brother's place.  They actually lighter during the trip.  If they hadn't been so bulky I could have handled myself.

The blackberry crop is maybe a 1/4 of what is usually is--they blossomed normally but there just wasn't any nectar in them so the pollenation was very light.  It's been that kind of Summer.  I can't remember having to feed bees in August before unless they were a very late swarm.  I'm using my paint cans as yard feeders and feeding all the hives from 1 location.  It looks like I might have to feed from now until bad weather in order to keep the stores up enough to get them through the winter.

I've been watching the bees on the various flowers and trees and have seen them go to a 1st time opening flower, check it out and fly away--evidently because even the new flowers are blossoming without any nectar.  I've also seen a lot of bees on the leaves of trees.  If they were collecting sap for propolis I might not be so concerned but I see a lot more bees doing in that I can recall in the past so I believe they are going for honeydew.  I found up to a dozen bees on every mature tree in my orchard during one afternoon stroll.

[CWBees]

Not much nectar flow going on right now in NJ but the Goldenrod flow is about to start and with all this rain I am hoping for a good flow. For now I would feed the bees if they need stores and still need to draw out any foundation.

[Bennettoid]

Not much nectar flow going on right now in NJ but the Goldenrod flow is about to start and with all this rain I am hoping for a good flow. For now I would feed the bees if they need stores and still need to draw out any foundation.

I have my fingers crossed. My goldenrod hasn't bloomed yet, and with any luck the drought is now busted. I'll keep feeding until I see the blooms. At least my hives aren't getting lighter.

[johnnybigfish]

hey bennetoid!
Its the 30th of Aug. and i'm still feeding my bees. Like you, I just started my bees this spring. It finally rained here this year but it rained during the mesquite bloom period and I think my bees missed that nectar flow.
After some time I kind of thought my bees were acting weird so I started feeding them again and they started acting better.
 I cant really cant tell you my ratio of water and sugar but I feed them every other day and I have a million bees now!..I just throw the sugar and water together till it tastes good to me and thats what the bees eat! I'm sure theres a ton of excuses of why i should do my mixing certain ways but I've found with bees, so far, theres a million ways to do everything!
  Anyways, just 3 days ago, I spun 4 frames of honey and got 35 lbs! Keep in mind, I only read bee books and hear lots of advice and sort of do things my way...People told me I wouldnt get any honey my first year. But I have realized it cost me alot of money for sugar to feed 3 hives all summer...AND I plan on feeding them more to, even though Im in the middle of acres of mesquite and wildflowers!
Next spring they ought to be ready to really get things going!
 well, I better go now...Maybe I can tell you more later about the unorthodox ways I've done things and still have happy bees!
your friend,
john