# Dry feed - saving weak colonies



## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

I some times put the colony you speak of on top of a strong colony both in insulated wraps. A lot of work but beekeeping seems to lean that way.


----------



## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Vance G said:


> I some times put the colony you speak of on top of a strong colony both in insulated wraps. A lot of work but beekeeping seems to lean that way.


Kinda hard to do with horizontal hives.


----------



## Akademee (Apr 5, 2020)

I consider my 16 lb. no-cook candyboards to be essential overwintering equipment. I place it right under my hotboxes. I give it to every hive whether they need it or not. Anything they don't use becomes syrup next year for my spring splits. Even with the price of sugar rising, I will gladly spend $8 per hive for bee insurance.


----------



## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Akademee said:


> bee insurance.


+1.

This may sound funny, but I have been suggesting dry sugar (MC specifically) on the Russian/Ukrainian channels for some time now.
At best the idea is ignored.
At worst it is called "b0015hIt".
Some did try and too quickly "concluded" it to NOT be working.
Oh well, same old.
LOL


----------



## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

GregV said:


> Kinda hard to do with horizontal hives.


Get stronger.


----------



## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Vance G said:


> Get stronger.


Well, you can only gain years - the rest of it you loose.

PS: of course, nothing wrong with just making the hives smaller (no matter how wrong it may sound).


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Vance G said:


> Get stronger.


I am getting tougher as I get older; like a chicken gets old and tough!😜


----------



## joebeewhisperer (May 13, 2020)

GregV said:


> Some did try and too quickly "concluded" it to NOT be working.


There’s no question it works. I had itty bitty colonies last winter that practically survived on sugar. And yes some ignored it, others favored it. But they needed BTUs any way they come get them.

I had 1 tiny colony left in an EZ Nuc which moved into a poly nuc today. I thought they were stocked adequately (or just under) for their size when last I checked. But Oct 1 brought cool temps that have just now abated.

They have eaten most of what they had. I took a well drawn outside comb out and dropped some sugar in 2/3 of it (kinda moist but still dry) and pollen sub in the other 1/3, and this just on the side that faces them. Kinda gently rubbed it in like I’ve seen people do when loading a starter with extra pollen.

I’ll fix up some sugar bricks probably tomorrow, I was trying to avoid it this year as most were pretty heavy 2 months ago. Probably heft some boxes tomorrow and see if I’m misremembering.

I’ve seen someone do a fondant frame. If I remember correctly, it got moist and sticky with disastrous consequences. I was just relaying it as a potentially bad idea a few days ago. Hopefully the addition of some foodstuffs sitting in good comb will tide them over until I put in sugar, or pull a frame of honey from someone else.

Side note: I talked with my sugar guy on Monday. I was just a few miles away and was going to prepay for a few barrels for next year. He said to check back in Jan as it was getting more difficult to secure a load. He said he could get syrup anytime but that sugar was not as available. I haven’t tried the syrup (which is supposed to be cane sugar syrup), but this difference in availability makes me think it’s HFCS. Hopefully he can snag a trailer or two of sugar. He mentioned “supply chains” so I’m looking for the price to go up.


----------



## Steve in PA (Jan 26, 2015)

This is probably the same reason why wintering 5f nucs under a sugar block works so well. The cluster is always in contact with food.


----------



## Lee Bussy (May 28, 2021)

I guess I don't understand what the plastic does right on top of the frames, between the bees and the sugar? Isn't that blocking them from being on contact with the food?


----------



## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Lee Bussy said:


> I guess I don't understand what the plastic does right on top of the frames, between the bees and the sugar? Isn't that blocking them from being on contact with the food?


Look again.
Plastic is NOT between the bees and the sugar.


----------



## Lee Bussy (May 28, 2021)

GregV said:


> Look again.
> Plastic is NOT between the bees and the sugar.


You TOTALLY changed that drawing. 

Okay, that makes sense now. The same would apply to candy as with dry food?


----------



## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Lee Bussy said:


> You TOTALLY changed that drawing.
> 
> Okay, that makes sense now. The same would apply to candy as with dry food?


Unsure what is "TOTALLY changed that drawing."
This is how I drew it up from start to finish.
Bees can not easily break through heavy duty plastic and will die.

Dry food can be any form of dry sugar, BUT it should hold its shape (however you manage to do it).
Here is one way to do it - a pile of sugar wrapped into moist paper towels turns into a clump - it works.
Lay some towels down and spray them w/ water.
Dump some sugar.
Moist towels on the top.
Sugar on the picture is placed over a strong colony - so the pile is pretty big.


----------



## Lee Bussy (May 28, 2021)

GregV said:


> Unsure what is "TOTALLY changed that drawing."


That would be sarcasm. You can tell when I am being sarcastic because my lips are moving.


----------

