Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => TOP BAR HIVES - WARRE HIVES - LONG HIVES => Topic started by: Dagar on March 29, 2013, 10:53:45 am

Title: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: Dagar on March 29, 2013, 10:53:45 am

Can a sugar block  be placed on the floor of the hive and just move the follower board over beyond the block ?
Will the bees find it ? And will it remain edible ?

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: Michael Bush on March 29, 2013, 12:51:15 pm

>Can a sugar block  be placed on the floor of the hive and just move the follower board over beyond the block ?

I'm not sure what the exact definition of a "sugar block" is.  You could put a bag of sugar there with a slit in it and a spray of water to get the that wet and attract the bees.

>Will the bees find it ?

Hard to predict bees, but most likely yes.

>And will it remain edible ?

Until the ants tear it up and haul it off.

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: nietssemaj on March 31, 2013, 04:09:25 pm

(http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg634/nietssemaj/Bees/Wolf%20Creek%20Bees/IMAG0078.jpg)

This is a picture of an internal feeder/stand I built for my latest TBH.

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: zzzzzzzzpr on March 31, 2013, 11:19:01 pm

what size holes did you put in the lid?

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: nietssemaj on April 01, 2013, 07:55:31 am

I drilled 20-30 of the smallest drill bit I had onhand, I think it was 1/16

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: gjd on April 02, 2013, 08:18:13 am

It might be a little early to nag you for the outcome, but I'd be interested in your results, good or bad, if you try.

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: Dagar on April 02, 2013, 11:24:59 pm

Wow thanks for the pic! I think I get it now. In anticipation of next winter I built a wide follower board with screening to hold an approx 3 lb of sugar or protein for supplemental feed.

Title: Re: Emergency feeding in a KTBH ?
Post by: duryeafarms on April 05, 2013, 01:26:02 pm

Hello,
I will start my maiden voyage with a newly built TBH and package of bees next Saturday. Mr. Bush's suggestion of feeding dry sugar is appealing for multiple reasons.  The recommendation to spray it with water so it clumps, making it more attractive sounds simple enough. Should just the top of the sugar mound be sprayed?  Once they eat the clumped part from the top, there would just be loose sugar, perhaps no longer attractive?

We have had a very dry winter and I hope feeding isn't required for a long period of time.

Thanks!

Jon