strength of syrup to get them drawing comb?

[angeJ]

I've read some conflicting advice from 2 very reputable sources - one says use winter strength 0.5kg sugar: 1lt water, another says 1kg:1lt. I'm going to try a Bailey Frame Change tomorrow to try to rid myself of some old frames that are difficult to work with.

 

[Galaxy55]

1 to 1

 

[oliver90owner]

winter strength 0.5kg sugar: 1lt water,-

Not right. Don't be using that for autumn feeding. We don't feed liquids in winter at all.

 

[enrico]

1 pint of water to 1 lb of sugar is good for producing wax for comb. But, if there is a good flow on then why bother! Let them do what comes naturally!
Autumn feed for storage is 2 lbs of sugar for 1 pint of water..... Well! In my hives anyway!

E

 

[angeJ]

thanks and apology

Thanks all, and apology too - the winter strength advice was 0.5 litre of water to 1 kilogram of sugar ( not as I quoted 0.5kg sugar: 1lt water). I'm going with 1:1

 

[Edward.21]

another note is that 1 to 1 is not the correct ratio, 1LB to 1PINT is (or 2lbs to 1pint) to convert it to metric is (i believe) 2.6kg to 1 liter, there was a very informative article in the BBKA magazine last year although I'm not sure which issue.

 

[oliver90owner]

Oh dear. Wasn't very informative because those amounts for a ratio of 1:1 is a load of twaddle.

The figures you quoted are clearly 2.6:1 which are wildly at variance to 1:1

Who really cares if it is one pound to one pint or one kilogram to a litre. It will make no odds whatsoever to the bees.

What is far more important is whether or not they need feeding. Not a great deal of point in adding extra feed if they already have more than sufficient. All that will happen is that the current honey stores (if that is what they are) will be contaminated with sugar syrup. Also, if the brood nest is contracting they will not need so much more new comb than old and they will need space to move up any stores in the bottom box.

But 1:1 is the norm for in-season feeding. Think about what they normally consume at this time of the
year. It is .....

 

[angeJ]

The feeding is part of a recommended procedure to change the frames the bees are currently on - called the 'Bailey frame change'. So before starting it any supers are removed. So the idea is that the sugar is going to go into encouraging wax production on the new foundation, rather that contaminating any honey.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oh dear. Wasn't very informative because those amounts for a ratio of 1:1 is a load of twaddle.

The figures you quoted are clearly 2.6:1 which are wildly at variance to 1:1

Who really cares if it is one pound to one pint or one kilogram to a litre. It will make no odds whatsoever to the bees.

Yup - there or there abouts is good enough for the bees