I started this spring with my first bee hive.  They were doing very
well.  I think that they were increasing in size faster than I was adding
hive bodies and supers to the hive.  Around the 4th of July the hive
swarmed twice.  Not knowing any better I split the original hive into two
hives.  Thinking that would give them move room.

Both hives have recovered from the split.  Being that they are now at two
deep and one super above the excluder.

The super above the excluder is new foundation.   Since the main flow was
coming to an end at the time of the swarm the bees have not drawn out the
foundation.  So,  I've built a couple of miller feeders and started feeding
this week.  They are consuming the feed at the rate of 2 gallons a day per
hive!!!!!  The bees have now started to draw out the foundation.

Is it ok to continue feeding the bees at this rate?  I'm hoping that they
will lower their consumption at some point.  Can the bees convert the sugar
syrup into honey or is it just stored sugar syrup?  If it's stored as just
syrup then its pointless to feed after adding the supers.  Other than to
draw out the foundation for next year.

I'm just wanting to get the hives in shape for the winter ahead.

Terry
Greenwood, MO
USA