# Feeding too much too quickly?



## jnorris235 (Aug 18, 2014)

I have just been given a small swarm, a month ago, and so to help them build stores I am feeding them. From mid-August to end-September, 1kg a time twice a week. They have two boxes to live in. I have been reading loads of posts and learned a lot here. I did join my local beekeeper society but was told not to dare mention the word Warre! So instead I ask here...

Three questions about correct feeding, please.

One: I simply poured the white sugar into the bottom feeder drawer that was part of the kit hive I bought. They are right next to a pond. It's been a super summer for England and a cooler slightly wetter week or two recently. Is it OK to feed actual sugar? 

Two: This week they had only cleared half of it in four days. So I switched to 1kg sugar in 500ml water thinking they could use it quicker, but maybe they're just having too much sugar? 

Three: When I slid open the drawer (actually it had swollen so I had to dig it out with my hive tool) to pour in the liquid there were masses of bees in there and loads flew straight out. As I poured it in, too quickly, some must have drowned and as I pushed it back in I'm sure a few got squashed. I guess I should take the whole drawer out but was surprised at the mass exodus! Again this makes me think they're not using the sugar up quickly enough, so I'm giving too much.

OK that won't ever happen again. But should I use a smoker would help clear them out of the way? I use a full suit so thought a smoker wasn't necessary, but I gather it's as much for them as for me.

I haven't taken the hive apart to see how they're building but perhaps I should just once?


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

i would feed syrup. They will take it if theres no flow and will draw comb. Perhaps the only downside to feediing to much, other than its syrup not natural nectar.....is moisture. So during fall feeding when the nights are cool excess moisture will build in the hive and need to be vented. Also they can draw burr comb again, typically only burr comb comes form the spring flow bc its so massive.


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## maynard (Jul 7, 2014)

I use a smoker regularly on my Warres to help move them out of the way as I'm closing things up.

I would continue to feed until they have both boxes drawn out, and a substantial amount of stores in the top box. Depending on how much natural flow you have left in your area, this could mean feeding until the top box is full.

I like top feeders for Warres a lot. If you can build a feeder like in Beekeeping for All, you will find that they take a lot of syrup quickly.


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## jnorris235 (Aug 18, 2014)

Another thought that I've not read but might be obvious is to pull out the feeder drawer in the evening. Perhaps not so many will still be active enough in there to fly out.
But does nobody just feed sugar in this time of the year?


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