Feed in Summer - water or sugar syrup

[john1]

Hi,
The weather is really hot now.
Do we need to leave a feeder with sugar syrup or water in the hive?
Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No
and certainly no open feeding with sugar etc.

 

[Sutty]

Considering bees live happily in Africa it's not hot at all!
No need to provide water or feed in the hive.
Having a good outside water source for them is a good idea anyway if you can arrange something. Preferably with a float that stays wet so they can use that & not drown.

 

[Ian123]

No there’s no need to feed anything unless they require stores and with the bramble opening in many areas and decent weather forecast all but the smallest colonies should be managing fine. Bees will happily gather water a water source in your garden if that’s the location of the hives is not a bad idea and can take the pressure/traffic from neighbours ponds. Simply make it as dirty and smelly as possible……I kid you not

 

[RLou]

I appreciate the post being 3 months into my first hive of Italians in South Texas and not knowing what the "right thing" to do is. I've been following my gut. We've had a very unusually stormy spring, so after they arrived I've just been monitoring the feed. Which has steadily and greatly reduced to approximately 1 cup per week. They are in a horizontal top top bar and appear very strong so far. I suppose I just keep refilling the one interior feed but a day later each time. Noticed there were some sugar ants today.
Should I change it it to very weak sugar, just water or pull the feeder?. The summers are rough in San Antonio. Feast or famine with the rain.
I am of the approach of sitting and watching most every day and they seem to building up strong and happy with lots of heavy gathered pollen and greatly increased body numbers.
Always welcome experienced knowledge.
Thank you.

 

[ericbeaumont]

The summers are rough in San Antonio. Feast or famine with the rain.

But what of forage? If pollen is coming in fast then nectar will not be far behind, and if feeding is unncessary you may succeed only in clogging a growing broodnest, and so trigger swarming.

To assess the need to feed you must have knowledge of seasonal forage, without which you're in the dark.

 

[Sutty]

Do you examine them and assess what stores they have - this should give you a good idea.
Unless they are very low on stores I would stop feeding as above.

 

[RLou]

Do you examine them and assess what stores they have - this should give you a good idea.
Unless they are very low on stores I would stop feeding as abo

 

[RLou]

Good advice!
Thank you.

 

[john1]

Thank you so much, I will not feed them in the hive, instead I will leave some water in the garden near the hive.