Dry sugar poured in comb for winter?

[Dr. B in Wisconsin]

Hello
This is my second year and all went pretty well. I am a little light for stores for winter I believe, all of a sudden here in wisconsin its starting to get cooler  :( Last year I had a super with some honey on it that I left on and took off in the early spring because I had used Apigaurd on it and did not want to use it for honey that I will consume. That super still had some honey on frame sides and some  open spaces and I am going to put it back on soon for winter consumption and again my use some apiguard if the mite population is high. Soooo here is the question last winter I opened up the hive on a warmer day and quickly stuffed a small piece of paper in between the frames and poured dry sugar and a very small amout of water to make the sugar stick together alittle. Well I was looking at the super in my basement and thought why not just pour the dry sugar directly into the empty comb pour some water on the sugar, let it dry and place the frames back just before winter?? Any opinions on this anyone?

[Finski]

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 My opinion is that ..... i cannot say it.

[Scadsobees]

That would work.  You could also make 1:1 and squirt it in each of the combs and use that.  This time of year you can direct feed it to them, and they'll put it away really fast.

If you are going dry, then you might as well pour it on top - that way it will absorb moisture as well, and in the spring if it isn't gone then you can dispose of it pretty easily.  And it may be easier.

There's many many ways to skin this cat. :)

Finski, it is ok to not post at all if you are afraid of some contention.... ;)

[FRAMEshift]

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 My opinion is that ..... i cannot say it.

It's the same technique that you use.... only he is using 1:0 syrup.   :-D

[Finski]

That would work.  You could also make 1:1 and squirt it in each of the combs and use that.  This time of year you can direct feed it to them, and they'll put it away really fast.

If you are going dry, then you might as well pour it on top - that way it will absorb moisture as well, and in the spring if it isn't gone then you can dispose of it pretty easily.  And it may be easier.

There's many many ways to skin this cat. :)

Finski, it is ok to not post at all if you are afraid of some contention.... ;)

now I must answer because you give terrible adwices.

You cannot givedry sugar to cells, because bees keep them rubbish and carry most sugar out of hive.

Normal winter feedinfor winter is that youmake 2:1 sugar +water and feed it in upper box.bees take syrup into hive so quickly that the whole 20 kg sugar is taken in in two days.
That is for one langstroth box.

To feed 2 box hive  give first duringtwo days so much as they take.then keep one week brake and give the rest.

To give 1:1 syrup is spending energy. No need tofeed them extra water.

To pour into hive 20 kg dry sugar? I really cannot say what I THINK about that beekeping.  I will be surely banned for ever.

I cannot understand  US FEEDING STYLES. On another hand you play with small glass jars and on another hand you pour sugar as dust or as crystals into hive.  and winter losses are huge.

.

[Scadsobees]

My apologies...I confused my 1:1's and 2:1's.... :-D

You cannot givedry sugar to cells, because bees keep them rubbish and carry most sugar out of hive.

BTW, that is all that you need to say to help out with a simple beekeeping question.  All the rest is why we end up with endless pointless bickering.  Maybe you need a break! 

[Finski]

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Galaxy bee.
3007 writings and that error ......

[Dr. B in Wisconsin]

I am new so i just asked a question, the sugar was dry and I added some water to make it hard so they can not carry it off when I poured it onto the empty comb. I tried it on two frames and they are by the window sill in the sun right now and after 1/2 day they are almost rock hard. Is this so different than boiling surgar and water and making hard rock sugar and adding it when it is needed? I will be taking this super off in the spring and I will also be starting the 2-1 sugar shortly. Ingrediants are still the same, sugar & water.

[Michael Bush]

I've sprayed syrup in the combs and I've done dry sugar with water added.  I think the syrup is easier for the bees to deal with, but either seems to work ok.

[VolunteerK9]

Sugar given either way sure would beat them trying to eat a snowball in winter :) I feed 2:1 in the Fall and then if they are running light in late February, I feed dry sugar.

[Finski]

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If hive is short of food in spring, first I even stores between hives.
They normally have enough store from Septeber to next summer.

If I must feed sugar in spring or in summer, I pour 1:2 srup direct into combs.

If I need to give for example 10 kg sugar in spring, I pour  the syrup into extra box of combs, then I put the box under brood box. It takes a week when bees move the syrup up to brood box.  with this system brood box does not loose heat.

[BlueBee]

I wonder what the bees would do if you put an electric heater in some syrup in the fall or winter and skipped the dry sugar and candy board routine?

[Scadsobees]

I wonder what the bees would do if you put an electric heater in some syrup in the fall or winter and skipped the dry sugar and candy board routine?

Probably the same thing they did in my observation hive - I had syrup, with honey bee healthy in it, on there, and they ignored it all winter.  Once clustered, they don't do too much.

[Hemlock]

I wonder what the bees would do if you put an electric heater in some syrup in the fall or winter and skipped the dry sugar and candy board routine?

Not sure what the bees would do but that would be a big addition of moisture into the hive.

[BlueBee]

Scads, good information.  I thought I read somewhere that your observation hive was in your living room, or someplace above 65F?  What were the bees doing clustered at that temp?  I wonder if they refused the syrup because the combs were filled or for some other reason?

I guess what I’m wondering is if the bees are short on resources in the winter, would they take up heated syrup?  Would that be better or worst that sugar candy?  We always hear in the spring that the bees won’t take cold syrup, so it got me thinking.....always a dangerous thing :).

Good point Hemlock.

[Finski]

I guess what I’m wondering is if the bees are short on resources in the winter, would they take up heated syrup?  Would that be better or worst that sugar candy?  We always hear in the spring that the bees won’t take cold syrup, so it got me thinking.....always a dangerous thing :).

Good point Hemlock.

first, i cannot look they resourses because hives are frosen and under snow.

i know that they have not short of food

third, before cleansing flight  bees cannot be fed. They are full of poo, and it is better not to touch the hives. They burst out to die.

If hive has no food, it is dead.

.I know guys who give Christmas supper to bees, but it is another story.

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[Scadsobees]

Scads, good information.  I thought I read somewhere that your observation hive was in your living room, or someplace above 65F?  What were the bees doing clustered at that temp?  I wonder if they refused the syrup because the combs were filled or for some other reason?

I guess what I’m wondering is if the bees are short on resources in the winter, would they take up heated syrup?  Would that be better or worst that sugar candy?  We always hear in the spring that the bees won’t take cold syrup, so it got me thinking.....always a dangerous thing :).

Good point Hemlock.

They're not in a tight cluster, but centered over the honey area sitting very very still.  The hive is only 2 frames, so they don't have enough to make it through the winter, which I thought was curious, because they didn't touch the syrup.  Perhaps because it was around the corner and not in the hive proper.
I don't think winter bees would take heated syrup unless you could drizzle it on the cluster.  That's why it is best to have solid sugar (granulated or fondant) above if in doubt and it's too late to feed, because that's what they'll contact if they run out.

[hankdog1]

VolunteerK9 your way south of me.  What in the world are you doing feeding dry sugar in mid Fedruary?  You should be okay to put syrup back on by then because they gearing up for spring buildup.  Give it a try you may be surprised how putting a gallon of sugar syrup on will work much better then the dry stuff.   

BTW Finski don't blame you for being gun shy.  Seems like we're deep into winter while still waiting on the first day of fall. 

[FRAMEshift]

They're not in a tight cluster, but centered over the honey area sitting very very still.

Were they all facing the same direction?  I observed this once.  All the bees sitting absolutely still and all facing upwards on the comb.

[Scadsobees]

All the bees sitting absolutely still and all facing upwards on the comb.

Yup, exactly what they do!