spraying sugar water when installing package bees

[Janemma]

I've been reading several articles/ books on installing my package bees.  They all mention spraying the bees just before installing them.  However they all seem to give different ratios for the water: sugar content of the syrup.

So what do YOU use? 

And while on the subject.  We are in the midst of a winter storm here in Alberta, and so the chance of having any decent nectar flow by the time my bees arrive is looking slim - I will still be feeding my bees for a while after they arrive.  Again the books/ articles all seem to give different advice ratios for syrup for feeding.  What do YOU use?  I know not to boil the liquid so as not to caramelize the sugar..so hot water and how much sugar : water?????? 

And which ratio of sugar: water do I use to spray the pierco foundation frames with before installing? 

Thank you! 

[BMAC]

1:1 ratio especially if you are on foundation.  Which it sounds like you maybe on foundation.  If not you can use 1:2 Sugar:water

[Janemma]

1:1 ratio especially if you are on foundation.  Which it sounds like you maybe on foundation.  If not you can use 1:2 Sugar:water

Is that to spray on the bees?  Or the pierco foundation?  or to feed?  Sorry...I'm a total beginner.  Just want to be clear. 

[mgates61]

On the Bees.  Make them moist, but don't drown them.


Mike

[Bennettoid]

1:1 by weight in the spring, for everything. I asked the president of our BeeKeepers assoc. this when I first started. He said to keep it simple you can use 5 pounds of sugar to a gallon of water, but that isn't really true 1:1. I believe 8 pounds of sugar to a gallon of water is closer to true 1:1, but I have yet to see an 8 lb. bag of sugar for sale at Walmart. 5lbs to a gallon seems to work fine.

[BMAC]

You can spray the frames too.  That will help them draw out the frames.  Also if nothing is in bloom right now you will want to give them a pollen patty and feed them 1:1 syrup after installing them.  They need to get to work right away drawing comb and get the queen laying eggs.

[Janemma]

Thank you :) 

[Michael Bush]

>So what do YOU use? 

I don't.  If I were to use syrup it would be 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water).  But I don't.

[Janemma]

>So what do YOU use? 

I don't.  If I were to use syrup it would be 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water).  But I don't.

What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta?  (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday)  What would an alternative be?  I would be very interested to know of all alternatives!  thanks in advance!!

[Michael Bush]

>What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta?  (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday)  What would an alternative be?  I would be very interested to know of all alternatives!  thanks in advance!!

The alternative is to use nothing.  I wouldn't want wet bees in cold weather.  I don't want wet bees in nice weather.  :)  I just shake them into the hive.

[Janemma]

>What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta?  (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday)  What would an alternative be?  I would be very interested to know of all alternatives!  thanks in advance!!

The alternative is to use nothing.  I wouldn't want wet bees in cold weather.  I don't want wet bees in nice weather.  :)  I just shake them into the hive.

Oh, no I meant to feed and to spray the frames too.....

Sorry, my original question had three parts.  I totally understand about not wanting the bees to be wet in cold weather though.

[Michael Bush]

For feeding when it's below 50 F dry sugar works well.  They will eat it to keep from starving and they can eat it when it's cold.  For above 50 F, syrup works fine.  A feeder that is closer to the cluster works better, like baggie feeders right on the top bars.  As far as ratio the standard spring feed is 1:1.  I find they do just as well on 2:1 and it keeps longer and I don't have to haul as much syrup to the yards.

Issues in feeding such as cold:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#feederissues

Ratios of syrup:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#ratios

The whole page on feeding:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm

[Janemma]

Thank you very much!  Very helpful!