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Author Topic: Filling frames with sugar water  (Read 4149 times)

Offline kenthold

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Filling frames with sugar water
« on: May 19, 2013, 06:46:18 pm »
I'm a new guy just starting out.  I received my packages a week ago.  I have 3 hives with wax and 3 with plastic frames, no drawn comb, I wanted to see which would do better.  The guy I bought the packages from told me to feed them through the top so I have a mason jar on top of an inner cover on each hive.  I installed the packages on Monday eve, pulled the cork on the candy end and drilled a hole on Wednesday eve and on Friday morning I had one empty hive. It was one of the hives that had plastic frames and it had hardly any comb drawn so I suspect the queen didn't like the setup and left.  I was quite concerned and called a friend.  I decided to put entrance feeders in also.  They have been eating much more out of the entrance feeders than the top feeders but when I pulled out some of the frames yesterday much of the comb that was there was filled up with syrup.  I don't have a really big flow of nectar here right now so I'm scared to back off too much on the syrup.  Should I be worried about too much syrup in the comb?

Offline BAH

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2013, 07:01:15 pm »
I am also new to beekeeping, so please question it as well. I have 2 hives and things are wonderful atm. I was told to feed the bees 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. This will increase the production of combs. I was told feed them until I add my 2nd brood box, but during my inspections look for pollen stores. When I add my 2nd box stop feeding them and let nature take it's course. I was told I can continue to feed on rainy days if I want to but the ratio should be changed. Reason given was that 1:1 ratio is not a laying stimulant and in fact can hinder the queens laying. Like I said I am new to this as well, I just listen to the :brian: talk alot, lol. Hope this is helpful and correct!

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2013, 07:53:38 pm »
only problem with entrance feeders is that they tend to draw other critters and can contribute to robbing. 

how long you feed depends on what's going on in your hive and your area.  there is no rule for it.  if they are feeding themselves in a few days, no need for you to do it.  if they are not, feed.

another thing for new people.  there is NO reason to rush releasing the queen.  yes, you want her laying, but a few days one way or the other will not matter.  i know some people direct release, but why take the chance?
that queen is not the queen that was with that hive before packaging. 

were your plastic frames coated with wax?

Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Caelansbees

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2013, 01:00:15 am »
I agree, dont rush introducing. I like to leave a queen from a package in the cage for at least 3 days before I expose the candy.  The bees won't go anywhere without her and that time is spent getting comb started for her to lay. 
As far as too much sugar water in the frames.... I wonder about this too.  But with a package it is like they will have it barely started and glistening with syrup one day and half drawn with a full frame of eggs the next. 

Overall I prefer nucs, but really enjoy watching a package start from nothing. 

Offline capt44

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2013, 01:19:50 am »
Early in the year I use 1-1 sugar syrup with Pro Health, but when they start bringing in pollen I cut back on the syrup.
Another trick I use when putting a swarm in a hive or nuc with new frames and foundation is to spray the foundations with the sugar syrup and pro health.
They seem to take the new foundation faster.
I give all my entrance feeders away for I found they can cause a robbing situation quick.
Around here the weather is fixing to turn hot (triple digits) in the next few weeks.
The flowers and such will dry up and I will start feeding to supplement them.
That's when you really need to keep an eye out on robbing.
It can get out of hand quick.
Install a entrance reducer and use a feeding system inside the hive, I personally use the baggie system.
Everything is hid from the neighboring bees.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline Finski

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2013, 02:16:35 am »

If you have 5 frame package, it needs only one full frame of food.
Most of all colony needs space for brood.

Don't be hurry in drawing combs. Bees do it however. Brood cycle is 3 weeks abed combs will be drawn during that time.

.if you love to feed bees, that is not question in beekeeping. You only help then into start and let then pick foo from nature.

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Offline kenthold

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2013, 09:21:19 am »
The frames were coated with wax but I didn't spray them with sugar water. I wish I had now. I have one hive drinking a gallon every 3 days although the rest of them seem to be doing about half that.  I am planning on checking them for brood today, hopefully there is enough room in there for her to start laying.

Offline 10framer

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2013, 10:23:01 am »
it helps if we know your location.  i hived a swarm late last wednesday.  i gave them 9 frames of foundation and one frame of brood.  we had a lot of rain over the weekend so they didn't get to work very much.  when i went in the hive saturday afternoon i had 8 fully drawn frames and the last two being worked on (all in two days).  there is nectar in most of the frames.  i added a medium of foundation yesterday between storms.  i expect to super them again this week.  my point is that i did all this without feed.  if you give your location someone might be able to tell you whether you need to be feeding or not right now.  oh, mine are working privet right now and if it's blooming in your area you might have a better flow than you think.
to really answer your question.  the bees are building and filling because there is no brood to care for.  they think they swarmed (as much as bees can actually "think") so they are in a heightened production mode.  the workers are free to forage instead of doing nurse duties.  as the queens start laying those stores will start being used for rearing brood and more space will open up.  the bees know what to do. if you are in the south east united states you shouldn't need to be feeding and you could probably add another hive body right now while the bees have time and resources to build comb and store nectar.  anywhere else you might be located a local guy could give you area specific advice.
the bees know what they are doing.  good luck, relax and enjoy.

Offline kenthold

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2013, 10:39:00 am »
I didn't realize my location was "hopelessly lost" there, :) not sure how to change that on my details but I'm in middle Ga. Just a little south of Augusta.  They are getting out and foraging, I've watched them enough to see that.  I just don't know enough about it to decide whether to pull the feeder or not.  They are eating quite a bit and with the plastic frames in some of the hives I worry they will quit drawing out if I quit feeding

Offline Finski

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Re: Filling frames with sugar water
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2013, 06:56:17 pm »
it helps if we know your location.  i hived a swarm late last wednesday.  i gave them 9 frames of foundation and one frame of brood.  we had a lot of rain over the weekend so they didn't get to work very much.  when i went in the hive saturday afternoon i had 8 fully drawn frames and the last two being worked on (all in two days).

what I have had hunreds of swams in my life, they usally draw one langstroth box during one week. Some do not even start during next 2 days.some are more eager.

But it is very important to understand, if you feed combs full, there is no much space for laying. If you give too much space to the swarm, a cool hive restrict brood area.

Swarm bees get old very fast. Half of bees aredear when new bees start to emerge.
So keep calm and do not arrange to bee more job than needed.

Drawn combs are not product of beehives. They surely do them more whenthey need them.  no sense to make them for dfn.

.most of all, swarm's and package bee's only job is make as much brood as possible.
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4 kg swarm is able to make surplus honey at once so that you can extract it.


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