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Author Topic: Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?  (Read 4075 times)

Offline Davepeg

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Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?
« on: August 01, 2010, 08:14:06 am »
Hubby and I checked our 6 hives yesterday.  Went through each hive throughly (only saw one queen).  All the hives have plenty of brood, but only one hive had any honey.  I know it's only August 1st, but should I be concerned about the lack of honey? In some of the hives the bottom super is almost totally empty - there is comb drawn out but nothing going on - should I remove the supers now are wait until later in the fall?  Treated for mites in 3 of the hives. no moths.  Beautiful comb - what's going on?

In the Northeast we have been hot and dry this summer - I'm concerned about the nectar flow (or lack of it).  Want to make sure the girls go into the winter strong. We usually feed bee tea starting in the late fall.

Thanks for any help.
We love the girls...

Offline David Stokely

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Re: Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2010, 08:50:04 am »
I surely would begin feeding.  You've only got maybe 8 weeks for them to make roughly 100 lbs of honey needed for them to last the winter.  It's certain that you're not going to get any honey for yourself from them this year and you stand a significant chance of losing them. . .just don't make the feeding mistake that I did last year, make sure the syrup is concentrated enough that it doesn't spur brood production by the queen.  Feed 2 parts sugar to 1 part water that is close to them being able to directly store.

Good luck!

Offline JP

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Re: Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2010, 11:14:19 am »
I agree whole heartedly with David. By all means feed them, and feed them good! Here's to wishing you a fall flow!


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Offline slacker361

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Re: Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2010, 10:22:34 am »
Dave I dont mean to highjack your post, but at what point should you worry about not having enough to make it through the winter. It is August, the last couple of years it has not gotten bad in temp until December. I understand that not much would be blooming that late, but we should have at least 2 or three months until the first freeze. So my question is when should I worry and start feeding 2:1 would you wait till October? or the First of November , or would you give it right away and hope they dont screw up the fall nectar flow honey? I am cornfused

Offline Davepeg

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Re: Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2010, 05:41:10 pm »
Slacker,
In previous years, we had ample honey by this time.  Not having ANY honey stores in a concern.  If the fall flow does not happen or we get an early winter, the bees will have a hard time.  I would rather feed early then miss the opportunity to have them build up honey stores.
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Offline slacker361

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Re: Lots of Bees, no honey, should I feed?
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2010, 06:03:30 pm »
I am just wondering when to pull the trigger, and start feeding since the golden rod has just come out and this is a first year hive

 

anything