# Feed during honeyflow?



## Jesus_the_only_way (Mar 17, 2006)

Kyle Meadows said:


> Should I continue feeding them during the honeyflow? My one overwintered Russian hive has so far filled about 3/4 of a super with honey during the last 2 weeks.


 I don't think you should need to feed during a flow. The package I bought this spring is doing great without being fed.
Tom


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

*feeding*

Dont know.

I am feeding till mine get one hive body full of comb and then they are on their own. 


Kyle. I am doing the same as you, so we shall see.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

If it is a package.... I would feed as the overall goal is to build up the colony to head into winter strong.


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## Cyndi (Apr 26, 2005)

I'm feeding my bees right now. This cold weather has really affected the honey flow this year. I split my hives and am trying to get them to draw the comb in the second brood box. I've decided that until those boxes get completely full, that I will continue to feed. Then just before, when the sourwood flow comes on, I'll pop a super on and see what happens.

If you have packages, the instructions do say feed, feed and feed - to get the comb drawn out. You pretty much can't expect any honey from them in the first year. If you do get lucky, that's another story. I just keep feeding till they don't take it anymore...they seem to know what to do.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

What purpose would it serve to feed in a honey flow?


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

Michael Bush said:


> What purpose would it serve to feed in a honey flow?



I dont know , it is one thing I am cornfused about as a new beek. 

What exactly is a flow, and how do you tell one is on ???


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## Kyle Meadows (Jul 14, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies.
It didn't really make too much sense to me to feed during a honeyflow, but being inexperienced I wanted to be sure.
The only purpose I could imagine would be to make it that much easier for the bees to find food while the new colony is building up. However, even if that were true, I wonder if the nectar from blossoms would be of a higher value to the bees than the sugar syrup I give them.
Michael, I take it from your question that you wouldn't feed a new package during a flow?


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## Kyle Meadows (Jul 14, 2006)

spunky said:


> What exactly is a flow, and how do you tell one is on ???


Spunky,
My understanding is that a honeyflow is an abundance of nectar producing plants blooming at the same time, creating a large amount of food for the bees, particularly in the spring. I think that is typically when bees can store extra honey that the beekeeper can safely take, although not usually from first year hives.
As far as when to know a honeyflow is on, I am lucky enough to get advice from a local veteran beekeeper. Here in northern Kentucky (Greater Cincinnati, really), I believe it starts when honeysuckle, clover and locust trees are in bloom. I would guess that your climate might not be very different in Indiana and that a flow could be on right now. How about checking with these folks? 
http://indianabeekeeper.goshen.edu/Beekeepers.html


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

MB:

In my opinion, the point would be to vamp the hive up in the goal of it having enough stores to overwinter. 

This is only my opinion.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

plus it all depends on your flows. If you have three flows, than I do not see the need to however, if you only have one flow like we do, than I think you should continue feeding.


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

*to feed or not to feed*

I'm feeding splits that I just started. I noticed the flow in my neighborhood is not strong enough for the smallest hives to build comb or store honey. Established weaker hives are raising lots of new bees, but not storing honey.
However, new splits that I gave a good start with a few weeks of feed are now self sufficient. The strongest hives, are bringing in a good amount of nectar. It all depends on your location, a few miles away the flow may be exceptional and not need to feed. If your unsure, err on the side of feeding, but all you have to do to find out is.

Inspect hive,
if stored honey present,
remove feeder (keep feeding if no honey frames)
check back in one week,
is there less or more stored honey?
did the colony slow down in build up, with feeder removed?

If the flow gets close to ending before the colony is built up all the way replace feeder to keep up their momentum.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Bees collect nectar and make honey. It's what they do. It's why we keep them. They do this at an astounding rate in a honey flow. I would let them.

When the bees are storing more nectar than they are using (it's building up) there is a honey flow. When the bees are breaking even, there is a small flow. When the bees are using up their stores, there is a dearth.


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## Beorn (Apr 15, 2007)

*I haven't fed this year.*

I haven't fed at all this year. I'm in up-state (above Albany) NY and I haven't fed my newly installed hive at all. I inspect a three week and one week installation and both seem to have stored nectar. I am using old dead out supers and plan to put a 2nd super on each this weekend. I've been doing some anecdotal observations and I'd say 60-70% of the bees are coming back with pollen. I may be pushing with adding the 2nd large super on so soon, but I'm concerned with not having any room for the brood.

Michael


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## Robert Hawkins (May 27, 2005)

Some bks use a scale under one hive and record the weight every day. Then it's easy to know when you have a honey flow and easier to judge if the hive has enough honey to survive the winter. 

Some just lift the back of the five and estimate the weight. Since it's the relative weight that counts, you can bee way off and still make this work.

Hawk


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Also I read in a recent issue of the American Bee Journal that drone traps and frequent powdered sugar dusting are enough to keep varroa at a managable, non-threatening level. How would this apply to foundationless hives?

It would apply in exactly the same way. But if you keep mite counts and put it off until you need it, you may find you don't need to treat at all. I haven't in years.


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## Tulipwood (Jul 16, 2006)

According to George Imirie, if you are trying to get supers drawn, you should feed them lightly (i.e. from a mason jar over the hole in the cover) all season long to keep them interested in drawing comb in the top super.


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## nsmith1957 (Sep 7, 2006)

I got my bees (2 - 3lb packages) on March 29th and have been feeding them ever since. They are taking in about 2 gallons of 1 to 1 every 6 to 7 days. Added 18th gallon to each hive today. Will have to add more supers at next feeding. My purpose in this is to get them to produce as much comb and bees as possiable for making increase and hives from Queens from Michael Bush in a month or so. The two hives at this moment have pretty much completed the comb in 2 deeps and 2 meds each. With 3 to 4 times the number of bees now.

Edit - they started out with new equipment and foundation only.


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## Chrissy Shaw (Nov 21, 2006)

*I feed nucs and packages all season the first year*

So long as one is not planning to take off a crop of honey, there is no concern about feeding except for the obvious draw it might present to bees inclined to rob. Especially with smaller units, there is always the chance that a period of cool, windy, or cloudy/rainy weather could quickly use up small stores in a colony on the build-up. In extremely heavy flows some bees will cease using sugar syrup at all. If this happens it is best to remove the feeders and dump the syrup since it can spoil and cause the bees a bit of trouble should they return to such feed.

Depending upon your fall flow, weather and the strength of your units at that time, it is different for feeding then. Robbing can be a very severe problem so preparations must be made for the bees to be able to defend what food they have and any feed you have on them. Robbers are not the only problem, fall yellowjackets can add to the problems with weak units. The syrup weight (search fall feeding in the posts) is heavier and is more apt to be stored as winter feed by the bees.

Halls honeysuckle is a trade name of a popular climbing honeysuckle and is favored by hummingbirds and sometimes bumble bees. The throat of the flower is too long for easy access to the nectar by honeybees. Amur is visited by bees as are a number of other plants in the honeysuckle family. There was a very fine article by Dr. Ayers last summer in ABJ regarding various honeysuckle family plants.

Chrissy Shaw


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