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Author Topic: Hello From Dickerson, Maryland  (Read 2187 times)

Offline Gil

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Hello From Dickerson, Maryland
« on: January 17, 2008, 11:51:55 pm »
Hi everyone!  I'm a rookie beekeeper in my 3rd year.  My wife got me started in beekeeping.  She started when she was a kid back in Brazil.  We got our first batch of honey this year, caught our first swarm, have 4 colonies now, and generally had a good year.

Does anyone have any advise on winter feeding?  Is it a good idea to feed in the middle of winter?  I was negligent in the fall to do proper inspections and was concerned at the beginning of winter that our colonies did not have enough honey stored.  So on warm days when the bees are flying, (we've had several so far this winter), I fill their entrance feeders with 1 to 1 sugar syrup.  Any thoughts!

Thanks'
Gil

Offline JP

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Re: Hello From Dickerson, Maryland
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2008, 12:22:36 am »
Be careful with liquid feeding with a cold snap approaching. You don't want added moisture inside the hive when its cold, its not good for the bees. They will have a lot of trouble keeping warm with added moisture. Do an inventory on a warm day to judge their stores. If you need to feed you can make fondant or sugar blocks, these are more dry feed feeding measures. Check this site for recipes and also search emergency feeding. I'm glad you and your wife are beekeeping buddies, ya'll have so much to share with one another, and that is just fantastic!

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Offline Cindi

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Re: Hello From Dickerson, Maryland
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2008, 10:38:37 am »
Gil, welcome to our forum, you have found the best site for sure.  Good that you and your Wife are both sharing a wonderful passtime such as the bees.  Nice.  Spend lots of time here, ask questions, all questions are good and deserve answers.

So, about your question about feeding.  Can you go and lift the back of your hives to feel if they are heavy or light?  That would be a great indication of whether there are lots or minimal amount of stores.  Do be careful, like JP said though, about too much moisture in the hive in the winter.  That is why the sugar syrup feeding should be done before the bees  cluster (and I know that it is not always that easy to get this done, life can get so dang busy).  If anything, the candy or even dry sugar, in my opinion, would be better than feeding liquid, because of the moisture in the hive.  Check out the weight of the colonies for sure.  You will hear more answers as more forum friends read your post.

And again, welcome to our wonderful forum of friends and have the best of days. Cindi
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Offline Gil

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Re: Hello From Dickerson, Maryland
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2008, 01:03:07 pm »
Thanks for the help!  I will make some sugar candy up and have it ready for the next warm day.  The reason I was concerned was that when I lifted the hives to switch out the screened bottom boards for solid ones, I felt like they were too light.  I will take your suggestion and try to check their weight again.

Thanks again!

Gil

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Hello From Dickerson, Maryland
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2008, 01:50:35 pm »
gill, go into your profile and change your location.  that way when you post later, those of us with old brains will not have to try and remember where you are from. :-)  so much info and advice is dependent on location.

if you need to get some food to them right away, you can put dry sugar on the top of the inner cover.  if you are in a dry area, you may need  to moisten the sugar with a spray or two of water.  if you are in a wet area, the sugar will absorb moisture on it's own.  these emergency feeding measures all depend on the weather warming enough for the bees to break cluster long enough to move to the feed.
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