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Author Topic: Open feeding makes sense to me.  (Read 17518 times)

Offline T Beek

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #20 on: June 23, 2011, 12:20:03 pm »
Most of what I've read discribes "winter" bees as almost a diferent species with traits/duties summer bees don't practice; it must be the weather :-\.  

For one, Winter bees can survive inside for more than six months!!!!!!  Going for as long as 3 months around here/without taking a poo.

Some, if not all, have the ability to create heat.  Just wild.  How anyone can say they hate bees is............(fill in the latest reason you've heard).

thomas
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Offline Finski

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #21 on: June 23, 2011, 12:37:05 pm »

Most folks around the forum know that Finski keeps bees in one of the coldest environments on the planet so his advise on wintering is always appreciated even if its a bit condescending at times :-D.  Finland is somewhat colder (40-50 below zero) and their Winter is about a month longer than North Wisconsin (We can reach 30-40 below).


Ha ha ha. No one here feed dry sugar in winter here. It is nonsence.

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 I've found that the bees produce plenty of condensation to 'wet' down the sugar enough to make it digestable.

You may calculate with biological knowledge that 25 kg winter food produces 10 kg water via cell respiration.

Bees natural system is that they have sugar stored in cells with 17% moisture. Then bees cap it that moisture does not go into food a<nd sytart to ferment.


Yes, I have nursed bees 48 years. I learned early that  I lead condensated water out via top entrance.
No problems.
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Offline Finski

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2011, 12:42:49 pm »
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My hives use 25 kg dry sugar during winter. How do you store that measure in the hive? It is a huge pile.

My bees stays in winte rest in October. Then they have cleansing flight in late March. So they stay in the hive 6 months without coming out. I do not touch hives during that time. After cleansing flight the continue wintering one month. They start to work in first of may when willows bust into bloom.

My place is at same level as Anchorage but we are not so stuff guyes like you are there without insulations.
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Offline Finski

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #23 on: June 23, 2011, 12:46:19 pm »
 

For one, Winter bees can survive inside for more than six months!!!!!!  Going for as long as 3 months around here/without taking a poo.

S

Those who winter hives in cellars they keep hives 7 months there, from Ochtober to start of May.
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Offline T Beek

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #24 on: June 23, 2011, 02:13:26 pm »
So it goes......... ;)

thomas
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Offline Finski

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #25 on: June 23, 2011, 02:24:51 pm »
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Another story is toy beekeeping. Bee are fed like aquarium fishes. In England some give Cristhmas evening dinner to they bees.

Some worry about winter feeding in July. Some start Spring feeding in December.

Some feed bees syrup all year around.

If folks do not know what to do, they feed some to bees or shake them. Allways must do something. In that situation they should sing to bees twinkle twinkle lonely star...

Mixing sugar and water is the most difficult thing in beekeeping.

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Offline BlueBee

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #26 on: June 23, 2011, 03:50:15 pm »
I’m almost looking forward to winter again and the lively debates about wintering bees again  :)

Insulation vs No insulation
Top entrances vs Bottom Entrances
Opened bottom screen vs closed bottom screen
Candyboard vs No Candy
Moisture vs Dry
Single deep vs Mediums vs 2 or 3 deeps
Heat vs No heat.

Offline caticind

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #27 on: June 23, 2011, 05:01:49 pm »
In that situation they should sing to bees twinkle twinkle lonely star...
:idunno:
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

Offline Finski

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #28 on: June 23, 2011, 07:13:32 pm »
I’m almost looking forward to winter again and the lively debates about wintering bees again  :)

Insulation vs No insulation
Top entrances vs Bottom Entrances
Opened bottom screen vs closed bottom screen
Candyboard vs No Candy
Moisture vs Dry
Single deep vs Mediums vs 2 or 3 deeps
Heat vs No heat.


if you are a skillfull beekeeper, you know what to do. You need not mix your head.

Winter in Florida, winter in Alaska.

I know what to do. My learning curve has zero angle.

And there question was simple: how to feed sugar to bees. It is easy to learn.
You learn it in one day.
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Offline T Beek

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #29 on: June 24, 2011, 06:00:40 am »
Finski; do your bees wear earplugs? :-D
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Offline ncsteeler

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #30 on: June 24, 2011, 08:13:41 am »
Back to the question at hand. I stumbled on these a few years ago, $18 each is not bad, but I built some for almost nothing. Sits over the inner cover hole, then cover with a empty hive body, works great. Just use caution how many holes are in your lids inthe winter, they will leak with more than a 10 holes or so. I made 2 jar versions. but if you think you need to feed  alot a 4 jar would be great. reduce your entrances way down in the fall for feeding(I use SBB and reduced entrance all year), but it helps that it is all the way at the top inside the hive, much less robbing.

« Last Edit: June 24, 2011, 08:16:48 am by eivindm »

Offline jaseemtp

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #31 on: June 24, 2011, 09:37:14 am »
BINGO!
ncsteeler, thats exactly what I use to feed my girls with. Quick and easy with little disruption to the hive.  I am not a fan of open feeding, I lose to many bees and feed to many wasp / hornets that way.
"It's better to die upon your feet than to live upon your knees!" Zapata

Offline T Beek

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #32 on: June 24, 2011, 10:36:07 am »
Agreed; if you must feed, feed inside the hive (love the Zapata quote), however, in late fall once hives are closed for winter and temps climb un-expectantly into the fifties and bees are flying, I open feed as I've described earlier in this post.  It works for me and mine.

thomas
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Offline glenn c hile

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #33 on: June 24, 2011, 11:04:13 am »
I think you will be surprised how much honey you will have by September.  Late summer and fall flows in southern OH can be pretty good if weather cooperates so I wouldn't be too sure about having to feed just yet.

Could move some brood from stronger hives to weaker ones to even things out.

As far as the dry sugar on top I started doing it a few years back and am a believer.  I place a sheet of newspaper on top and then a 5 pound bag.  Most beeks in my area lost 50% plus this past winter.  I lost 1 out of 15 and that one was pretty weak going into winter.  Every hive was into the dry sugar by early March.

Cheap insurance.

Offline Danger Brown

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #34 on: June 24, 2011, 02:11:13 pm »
Thanks Finski and T Beek! Good stuff.
I saw 2 people mentioned 5 lbs of dry sugar going into winter. Do you pour it out of the package on newspaper? or are you just leaving it in the paper packaging from the store and letting the bees chew into it?

Offline VolunteerK9

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #35 on: June 24, 2011, 02:19:56 pm »
Thanks Finski and T Beek! Good stuff.
I saw 2 people mentioned 5 lbs of dry sugar going into winter. Do you pour it out of the package on newspaper? or are you just leaving it in the paper packaging from the store and letting the bees chew into it?

Put the newspaper directly on top of the frames and pour the sugar on top of the newspaper.

Offline Danger Brown

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #36 on: June 24, 2011, 02:36:38 pm »
Thanks VolunteerK9. I had seen people talk about that technique. How many layers of newspaper should be used?

Offline VolunteerK9

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #37 on: June 24, 2011, 03:29:33 pm »
I use one and cut a small slit in the middle of it.

Offline T Beek

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #38 on: June 24, 2011, 03:59:52 pm »
I use top entrances on my Langs, a small cut in the 'bottom of inner cover."  I pour dry sugar on top and all around the inner cover hole and cover w/ an empty 'ventilated' super.

thomas
« Last Edit: June 25, 2011, 08:12:48 am by T Beek »
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Offline Danger Brown

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Re: Open feeding makes sense to me.
« Reply #39 on: June 24, 2011, 04:05:10 pm »
Thanks guys! I appreciate that. Feel like I need to be strategizing for winter already.

 

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