# To feed or not to feed, that is the question.



## DrDoorlock (Mar 5, 2013)

After the last cut-out, I decided the foragers might need time to start bringing in enough food to support growth or the hive. I made food with sugar, water and corn syrup in equal parts into the empty end of the hive using an entrance feeder wit a pint jar. Each time I decided it would be okay to open the hive, the feeder was empty. I don't want to disturb the hive for awhile so they can rebuild, but I thought they only took artificial food source if there wasn't enough food nearby. All around them are wildflowers, trees and gardens blooming like crazy. LOTS of natural food. The question is: 

Do I need to keep putting homemade food in the entrance feeder as long as they take it or can I just leave them to forage from sources all around?


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

Good question, with several answers. In the spring, I feed only until they have some capped stores. 

Entrance feeders can cause robbing. 

When you did the cutout, did you get the queen?


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## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

as for feeding...

how long will that sugar/water solution keep? should i take it out if i notice it's not being used up quickly?


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

if they are needed the syrup, they would take it. I would remove them.


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## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

in 5 days how much syrup should be gone/used?

i'd say less than half has been used in that time span....

thanks for the help!


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

With lots of natural blooming going on in the area, I myself would take the feeder off. Nectar is healthier for bees than sugar/corn syrup.


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## Jon B (Apr 24, 2013)

I only feed if the bees are between nectar flows or if there is a long cold spell. When there is a natural nectar source some hive won't even bother with sugar syrup.


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## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

Thanks all.

that solves that. i'll take it out sooner rather than later.

again, thanks for the help and answers


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## davey730 (May 11, 2013)

I started a package in my TBH set up and not wanting to open the hive to check the feeder I made a feeder that has a tube running through one of the entrances with a dripper on the end that goes into a small dish with rocks and things in it so they don't drown. I have it drip about 1 drip a second and they have been comb building like crazy. By the end of a week they were building on 6 bars so I moved the divider back. Then at two and a half weeks they're starting on bar 11. The front 5 bars are completely drawn out and full of brood and stores. I was wondering if I should stop feeding when the feeder plugged up for a day so I let it go. When I checked 2 days later they had stopped building comb about where they were when the feeder stopped. It may have been a natural break or pause for them but I've started the feeder again and will see if they've resumed building in a few more more days.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

IMO you are just adding problems. You will attract ants and robbers at a time that the bees have enough to worry about.


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## DonShackelford (Jan 17, 2012)

Is it still considered valid to feed to stimulate drawing the second deep of foundation (or foundationless)?

I've told newbees to feed until the 2nd deep is "mostly" drawn out.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Ive told newbees to feed until the 2nd deep is "mostly" drawn out. 

Sometimes by then they've backfilled the brood nest and swarmed because the queen has no where to lay...


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