feeding ratio

[CliffDale]

HI

I have just got back from a 3 week holiday. Bees have eaten all the honey!

I had full supers before I left and each hive had a second super.

Inspection shows stores are very light!

I have removed the empty supers now.

Should I feed 2 to 1 sugar or do you use 1 to 1??

some hives are desperate for food!

Cliff

 

[oliver90owner]

Any feed will do. Damp sugar if necessary.

Are these bees of Italian extraction - converting all stores to brood?

Regards, RAB

 

[CliffDale]

Not sure since I am new to all this!

There is little store in the brood box. The queen is still laying if that helps.

 

[Black Comb]

I'd go for 2:1 at this time of year.

 

[BKF Admin]

I would do 2:1 also.
If they really are very low then a bag of sugar with a hole in it dipped in a bucket of water until wet will do in an emergency,many beekeepers keep a bag in the toolbox incase its needed.

I have even done a piece of newspaper onto the top of the frames with a bag of dry sugar tipped on it in the past,they will still take it down and it will save a colony until you can get a mix of syrup made up.

 

[Juststarting]

great tip - thanks Admin

 

[Silly Bee]

HI

I have just got back from a 3 week holiday. Bees have eaten all the honey!

I had full supers before I left and each hive had a second super.

Inspection shows stores are very light!

I have removed the empty supers now.

Should I feed 2 to 1 sugar or do you use 1 to 1??

some hives are desperate for food!

Cliff

Have they swarmed?

 

[Heather]

Always 2:1 in Autumn- 1:1 in Spring to give them extra water to cleanse their system

 

[johnandyrob]

Iv used 1 ltr water very hot not boiling 2 kg sugar should make 2.26lts of syrup but mine is saturated and sugar is sitting on the bottom is this right or have i done some thing wrong HELP

 

[Queens59]

Just keep stirring it will dissolve eventually - you can even use cold water, pour sugar in while stirring and just stir!

 

[johnandyrob]

Thanks

 

[barratt_sab]

and remember it won't go clear until it cools - so if it still looks cloudy, but doesn't sound gritty when you mix it with a spoon, let it cool and it'll be fine.

 

[the beehive lodge]

I put my sugar/water in a plastic mike carton with a screw lid and shake till its desolved can take a bit but as i watch the tv and do it slow it mixes without to much bubbles in it 30 mins to settle straight in feeder and Bobs your uncle (who ever Bob is) LOL

 

[MuswellMetro]

Just keep stirring it will dissolve eventually - you can even use cold water, pour sugar in while stirring and just stir!

yes, you are right, but the last drop is very diifuclt, but if you use the old imperial ratio of , 4lbs of sugar to 2 pints it is much easier to dissovle in cold water as the ration is 1,68 to 1 rather than 2 to 1 and i am sure the bees dont mind

For small amounts, i get a 2ltr coke bottle add 2kg of sugar and top up with just over 1 ltre of warm water and shake it until it dissovle

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I initially dissolve all the sugar in half the quantity of very hot water, stir vigourously, then when its disolved pour the the remainder of water cold. Gets it close to bee acceptable temperature immediately

 

[Hebeegeebee]

If it doesn't all dissolve, and there's some sugar in the bottom of the container next day, I add a splosh more water - I can't see that it makes much difference.