>>I would put them in a super *below* the brood...

This should be more effective - especially in the summer - although it requires some lifting of the brood boxes.  At this time of year (early spring), 'top supering' works well for me, too.

>>and perhaps scratch the caps on some of it.

Scratching definitely induces bees to clean up the honey.

>>Often they will simply throw the crystallized stuff out.

With 'top supering' in the spring, the added temp (esp. on sunnny days) and humidity from down below help bees reliquify crystalized honey.  Spraying the frames lightly with clean water beforehand helps as well.

>>I would NEVER feed honey in the open.

I would never do this during the day, either.  However, have you ever tried leaning one or two frames against the hive entrance AFTER dark?  In the summer, a strong colony will have the frames emptied in 2 or 3 hours WITHOUT going airborne.  Adjacent colonies don't go airborne in the dark either.  By morning all is clean and quiet.  No robbing is induced.

Waldemar

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