Thanks Kamon and Loralie, you folks have been such great teachers for me in my second year of beekeeping. I have gone from 1 colony coming out of winter 2018/2019 and am now going into winter 2019/2020 with 13 colonies thanks to the techniques i have learnt from your videos. Keep up the great work! I live in the south of the United Kingdom (Devon county)
Great info, Kamon. You didn't have to tell me not to use the political pages of the newspaper. I save those for lining the bottom tray of our parrot cages. It's mildly satisfying to watch the pictures of the self important people featured in yesterday's news covered with whatever drops down to the bottom of the cage.
JM 2 cents I use 2 sheets of black and white paper and don't bother wetting the paper as the dry newspaper helps control condensation in the hive , generally 4lbs of sugar is enough to get my bees thru till mid Jan ( here in Indiana ) then I recheck and place another small pollen patty, paper and more sugar as needed.
Kamon, I used this method last winter except I used paper towels and no water and like you said the bees came out busting in the early spring. Laura must have not thought your joke was funny since we didn’t hear her giggle. RTR!
Again Thank you so much for great information! Love your videos they have helped me so much! First year here. I am in Colorado just a bit south west of Denver by the foothills. We have had several snow storms and cold weather. Average temp is about 40 - 60 on the warm days. A couple of weeks ago I was able to check out 3 of 6 hives before the weather dropped again. My Italian Hybrid queen has laid almost one frame both side full of brood and a second just a small patch. My Barnyard queen: has laid about a half dollar size and my Bee Weaver: nothing. During warm days I put out just enough food (your sugar honey recipe topped with 2:1sugar) for the girls and then I also have pollen sub out. Today it should get close to 60 degrees and I can check the status of the other three: Russian dual queen hive, Hawaiian hive and my Saskatraz hive All my hives are wrapped 3 side with double bubble, have a screened wood chip filled box above a candi board with a exit and a insulating top of double bubble.
Thanks Jennifer. Sounds like you have been busy as a bee.... (Couldn't help it) it is amazing how different queens can perform differently. Maybe you can nab or make some queen cells from your best queens this coming season and make some more queens that are likely to be awesome!
You are correct. The time before spring flow is deadly for bees. Supplemental feeding can make a difference. I fed like crazy during the months long dry spell so I’m ok for now. Still, I learned the hard way and lost 2 colonies last year. Will feed early. In a side note something is providing nectar right now in Atl. The girls are very active. A good thing.
Thanks for this Kamon. Some of my hives are light and I usually buy sugar fondant to feed at this time of year here in Ireland. I'll be trying this methood in the few day and see how it goes.
"Enough parasites in the hive"...lol, good one bro. The sugar will give them all the carbohydrates they need but, what about protein, would it help to add some dry pollen in with the sugar?
Mixing them together is a relatively new thing. It may be beneficial, but I have never needed to do so in the past. Personally, I would rather keep them separate. I am not sure adding pollen to it would help but then again we are always learning new things so.....I don't know :-)
@@kamonreynolds I watched a video with a Master bee keeper adding protein dry mixed with sugar. I've never tried it but I don't have hive beetles either.
How do you keep ants out of your hives? I have a small hive, if I add sugar, thos darn ants come up into it. Next week it will warm up enough for the ants to be active.
Hi. Just wondering how you get the excess sugar off in the spring that wasn't consumed? Does it turn hard by then so you can take it off by hand in Chunks? Thanks.
Kamon, I LOVE your videos! I'm learning so much. I'm a new beekeeper; I got my first nuc in July of this year (it's the end of September now) and I've been trying to beef them up for winter. I've fed syrup all along and I organized the into a 7-over-7 arrangement with brood below and stores above. I did my last inspection this past weekend and they have maybe 3 full frames of honey, and 4 frames of partial honey/nectar. It's getting in the low 50s at night, so I took off the liquid feeder (I don't want them to get cool and damp). Is it too early to dry feed them sugar? Daytime highs are in the 60s to 70s, but it's going to cool off soon. Is there any downside to just putting a few lbs. of sugar on top for them to have if they need it?
New beekeeper here . In middle Tennessee in the winter we can have high 50s to mid 60s sometimes for a few days will the bees break cluster and feed or stay in the cluster all winter ?
Some of the mature colonies I didn't feed at all this fall and very little in summer. The young colonies can get 5-7 gallons in their first year no sweat
I’m up here in Mass I have been putting the sugar on top of the inner cover and leaving it granular but I just lost a hive and there were a lot of the dead bees under the cover and it really hasn’t been that cold here. Any thoughts? Moisture maybe we did get a lot of rain recently.
Very little will go through because moisture clump it up, and if it does fall through, bees will either eat it or housebees will clean it up and throw it out as Kamon mentioned..
Remember he sprayed it with water first which would make the sugar stick. If a little fell through the bees will kick it out. Dampening the paper makes it softer to chew also.
probably wouldn't hurt but I have never seen a need to do so. The colonies have some beebread and we will feed normal protein patties in a couple of months
Hi Kamon ! I'm from Morocco (north Africa) l liked this method of feeding bees but could we use this method in dry regions , l mean very hot in summer but also cold in winter ! Thanks in advance.
We won't be taking honey from this colony for 6 months. Any sugar we have used will have been long gone before the bees are given more boxes of combs to deposit nectar. This is a first year colony and many times a young colony needs supplemental feed to survive. Some locations it is not as critical due to the abundance of natural Flora
Is there data over time to see if dry sugar feeding can be done much of the year, with still having a good survival rate, and with the bees being OK with it, instead of doing sugar water? (Assuming they have a water source). (Looking for reasons to use dry sugar foremost choice, instead of looking for reasons to do sugar syrup, is what I'm trying to ask and convey.) Like could you do only dry sugar reliably and have success without using sugar water, as a preferred feed method? Thanks.
Hi Kamon, if you use wax paper or parchment paper would it be ok to use it if you leave a gap all the way around and even a big hole in the middle to vent? I didn't have paper laying around. I am pretty sure my hives have enough honey in it but I put some sugar bricks on it just in case.
As always thanks for all the great information you help us with. THANKS, THANKS,THANKS
I usually use the comics section...puts my bees in a good mood....
Thanks Kamon and Loralie, you folks have been such great teachers for me in my second year of beekeeping. I have gone from 1 colony coming out of winter 2018/2019 and am now going into winter 2019/2020 with 13 colonies thanks to the techniques i have learnt from your videos. Keep up the great work! I live in the south of the United Kingdom (Devon county)
Great! Thanks for the tutorial, and hi from Northern Alberta
Great info, Kamon. You didn't have to tell me not to use the political pages of the newspaper. I save those for lining the bottom tray of our parrot cages. It's mildly satisfying to watch the pictures of the self important people featured in yesterday's news covered with whatever drops down to the bottom of the cage.
Hope you mob have a great Thanks Giving, thanks for sharing the info, hope those girls explode into spring for you.
Thank you good info
Thanks !!
JM 2 cents I use 2 sheets of black and white paper and don't bother wetting the paper as the dry newspaper helps control condensation in the hive , generally 4lbs of sugar is enough to get my bees thru till mid Jan ( here in Indiana ) then I recheck and place another small pollen patty, paper and more sugar as needed.
Great videos mate, your well known And liked here in Australia
Thanks Christian. I hope they help a little.
Kamon, I used this method last winter except I used paper towels and no water and like you said the bees came out busting in the early spring. Laura must have not thought your joke was funny since we didn’t hear her giggle. RTR!
She did roll her eyes though! I guess all my jokes are getting old so I will have to try some new ones!
As always enjoyed your video.
The comment on parasites, almost rolled out of my chair. I’ll be sure to spread the word. :)
Again Thank you so much for great information! Love your videos they have helped me so much! First year here. I am in Colorado just a bit south west of Denver by the foothills. We have had several snow storms and cold weather. Average temp is about 40 - 60 on the warm days. A couple of weeks ago I was able to check out 3 of 6 hives before the weather dropped again. My Italian Hybrid queen has laid almost one frame both side full of brood and a second just a small patch. My Barnyard queen: has laid about a half dollar size and my Bee Weaver: nothing. During warm days I put out just enough food (your sugar honey recipe topped with 2:1sugar) for the girls and then I also have pollen sub out. Today it should get close to 60 degrees and I can check the status of the other three: Russian dual queen hive, Hawaiian hive and my Saskatraz hive
All my hives are wrapped 3 side with double bubble, have a screened wood chip filled box above a candi board with a exit and a insulating top of double bubble.
Thanks Jennifer. Sounds like you have been busy as a bee.... (Couldn't help it) it is amazing how different queens can perform differently. Maybe you can nab or make some queen cells from your best queens this coming season and make some more queens that are likely to be awesome!
thanks kamon, i will be putting sugar in as of tomorrow due to the very cold wet storm coming.
Thanks for sharing Kamon and Laurel. YOU and Your Family have a GREAT and BLESSED THANKSGIVING! Are you have a Honey Glazed Turkey?
Happy Thanksgiving to you! I think we will have smoked turkey but you are right! it should have honey on that bird!
You are correct. The time before spring flow is deadly for bees. Supplemental feeding can make a difference.
I fed like crazy during the months long dry spell so I’m ok for now. Still, I learned the hard way and lost 2 colonies last year. Will feed early.
In a side note something is providing nectar right now in Atl. The girls are very active. A good thing.
Thanks for this Kamon.
Some of my hives are light and I usually buy sugar fondant to feed at this time of year here in Ireland.
I'll be trying this methood in the few day and see how it goes.
How do you know whether to use sugar or pollen patties to feed the bees? Love your videos. Thanks.
"Parasites in the hive.." - That was cute... :)
"Enough parasites in the hive"...lol, good one bro.
The sugar will give them all the carbohydrates they need but, what about protein, would it help to add some dry pollen in with the sugar?
Mixing them together is a relatively new thing. It may be beneficial, but I have never needed to do so in the past. Personally, I would rather keep them separate. I am not sure adding pollen to it would help but then again we are always learning new things so.....I don't know :-)
@@kamonreynolds I watched a video with a Master bee keeper adding protein dry mixed with sugar. I've never tried it but I don't have hive beetles either.
How do you keep ants out of your hives? I have a small hive, if I add sugar, thos darn ants come up into it. Next week it will warm up enough for the ants to be active.
Hi. Just wondering how you get the excess sugar off in the spring that wasn't consumed? Does it turn hard by then so you can take it off by hand in Chunks? Thanks.
Exactly it will be in chunks and blocks what they don't consume and be easy to remove
Kamon, I LOVE your videos! I'm learning so much. I'm a new beekeeper; I got my first nuc in July of this year (it's the end of September now) and I've been trying to beef them up for winter. I've fed syrup all along and I organized the into a 7-over-7 arrangement with brood below and stores above. I did my last inspection this past weekend and they have maybe 3 full frames of honey, and 4 frames of partial honey/nectar. It's getting in the low 50s at night, so I took off the liquid feeder (I don't want them to get cool and damp).
Is it too early to dry feed them sugar? Daytime highs are in the 60s to 70s, but it's going to cool off soon. Is there any downside to just putting a few lbs. of sugar on top for them to have if they need it?
I hope politics does not ruin the bees too, thanks for the warning. :)
Nice video.
My only concern with newspaper is the inks .. is it harmful and is there another alternative
New beekeeper here . In middle Tennessee in the winter we can have high 50s to mid 60s sometimes for a few days will the bees break cluster and feed or stay in the cluster all winter ?
How much syrups do you feed a hive on average?
Some of the mature colonies I didn't feed at all this fall and very little in summer. The young colonies can get 5-7 gallons in their first year no sweat
@@kamonreynolds Do the take the same amount in early spring?
lol love the political joke! 😂🤣😅
How do you determine how much granulated sugar to feed the bees at a feeding?
I’m up here in Mass I have been putting the sugar on top of the inner cover and leaving it granular but I just lost a hive and there were a lot of the dead bees under the cover and it really hasn’t been that cold here. Any thoughts? Moisture maybe we did get a lot of rain recently.
The sugar needs to be under the inner cover to be closer to the cluster. That is why you need a feeder shim.
What about those bees that are stuck in there with the sugar? Will they know how to get down back with the colony?
Oh yeah I will try to get some shots of them working it in the near future.
Got a laugh out of the political jibe
It was a good one, and funny no matter where you stand politically. The best kind of joke!
Ditto 😂😂😂
🇹🇷👍👍
I have been told to leave the inner cover off while useing this method. Would there be any advantages?
I don't see any advantage to pulling the inner cover off with the setup I am using.
Great video! Do you feed Pro Sweet all winter?
Thanks Curt. I don't. If I feed enough in fall i don't need to feed it thru the winter.
hi, putting holes in news paper and dry suger on top !!!!!! suger will go down in bottom hive, isn't bad?
Very little will go through because moisture clump it up, and if it does fall through, bees will either eat it or housebees will clean it up and throw it out as Kamon mentioned..
Remember he sprayed it with water first which would make the sugar stick. If a little fell through the bees will kick it out. Dampening the paper makes it softer to chew also.
Would it hurt to add a dry protein?
probably wouldn't hurt but I have never seen a need to do so. The colonies have some beebread and we will feed normal protein patties in a couple of months
Thank you Bill.
Thank you Kamon.
It is easier for bees to take dissolved sugar with water.
Hi Kamon ! I'm from Morocco (north Africa) l liked this method of feeding bees but could we use this method in dry regions , l mean very hot in summer but also cold in winter ! Thanks in advance.
Doesn't feeding bees sugar lower the quality of honey?
We won't be taking honey from this colony for 6 months. Any sugar we have used will have been long gone before the bees are given more boxes of combs to deposit nectar. This is a first year colony and many times a young colony needs supplemental feed to survive. Some locations it is not as critical due to the abundance of natural Flora
thank you for the explanation
Is there data over time to see if dry sugar feeding can be done much of the year, with still having a good survival rate, and with the bees being OK with it, instead of doing sugar water? (Assuming they have a water source). (Looking for reasons to use dry sugar foremost choice, instead of looking for reasons to do sugar syrup, is what I'm trying to ask and convey.)
Like could you do only dry sugar reliably and have success without using sugar water, as a preferred feed method?
Thanks.
Hi Kamon, if you use wax paper or parchment paper would it be ok to use it if you leave a gap all the way around and even a big hole in the middle to vent? I didn't have paper laying around. I am pretty sure my hives have enough honey in it but I put some sugar bricks on it just in case.
You put the paper and sugar on bees . Won t it kill them ?!
No beekeepers in the US have been doing this for a century in some form or fashion