Late winter feeding.

[homer]

How early is it okay to start feeding syrup to the bees, and how early do I start the pollen patties going?
It is still quite cold here and will be for another month or so, but I was thinking that I'd start feeding already.  Is this okay or do I need to hold off for a bit still?

[Brian D. Bray]

How early is it okay to start feeding syrup to the bees, and how early do I start the pollen patties going?
It is still quite cold here and will be for another month or so, but I was thinking that I'd start feeding already.  Is this okay or do I need to hold off for a bit still?

Mid February is common.  Right now I'm experiencing temps in the 40s to low 50's and sunny days so the bees are out foraging for pollen from hazelnuts and willow.   A good yardstick for measuring when to feed is when you see the willows in bloom and the bees flying.

[Michael Bush]

If the nights dip into the 30s and the days are only up in the 50s the syrup never warms up enough for them to take it.  If the nights dip into the 40s and the days are up in the 60s they will take the syrup.

[BjornBee]

Do you need to start? Should you hold off? Hmmmm.

Why are you feeding, and what are trying to achieve?

Early splitting, queen rearing, are two items that come to mind. Even feeding for a lack of stores. But you do not really say. So it's hard to say when for you to start.

If your attempting to shower your bees with affection, and wanting to find something to spend money on, and think that you automatically need to do this, then anytime is a good time. Many go this route, fill the brood chamber to the point that the queen has no place to lay, and thus full spring production never really is achieved. And then there are those that feed and bring on a swarm season much earlier and stronger than needed and end up losing half their bees right before the main flow.

Keep in mind, in nature, the bees eat their way up to the top of the brood chamber. In spring, when the flow starts, the queen has a huge amount of comb below her to lay in. The bees naturally eat a good percentage of the honey to allow the room for expansion. Yes, starvation is always something to guard against. But the hive should of eaten 75% of the honey stores by the time natural pollen and nectar starts, so the queen has a large area to lay. You should not feed to the point that the hive comes out of winter with as much stores as they went into winter with.

So why are you feeding?

[Kathyp]

i agree with bjornbee.  you need to know why you are feeding.  for instance, i will not feed syrup this early.  they won't take it cold and if we have a warm day that allows them to take it, it will just add moisture to the hive.  however, we had a hard winter and i know that in at least 3 of my hives, the numbers are way down.  i want to encourage brood so that when there is stuff to bring in, they have the numbers.  our season is short.

i know they are finding some natural pollen sources and bringing it in.  i am just adding to what nature is providing to given them a little help  :-)

if you are concerned that they are light on stores, use dry sugar on the inner cover or on newspaper over the frames.  spray it lightly with water and they will use it as they need it.

[homer]

If the nights dip into the 30s and the days are only up in the 50s the syrup never warms up enough for them to take it.  If the nights dip into the 40s and the days are up in the 60s they will take the syrup.

Yeah, I think that I'm a good 6 weeks from that kind of weather here, still.  What about feeding pollen patties?

[homer]

Do you need to start? Should you hold off? Hmmmm.

Why are you feeding, and what are trying to achieve?

I guess I'm just paranoid, as my friend just lost 7 of 8 hives.  My hive seems to be doing really well though, and plento of honey left.  I should probably just quit worrying so much.  The only reason that I would be feeding is to supplement the honey stores, but I guess they're really in pretty good shape still.

[Michael Bush]

If the hives are light, put an empty box on top, put newspaper on the top bars of the box below and dump 20 or 40 pounds of sugar on top.  If they are not light, leave them alone.