Hello Bob,
As you know, I agree with you most of the time, but in your note to Marc in
Massachusetts about feeding, I have a totally different attitude.  You said
winter feeding is tough, and I don't agree.  You said the safest thing to do
is feed a frame of honey from one of your other hives, and I don't agree.
You mentioned wrapping hives.
I don't think many hives are wrapped anymore in Mass.  You are a few miles
away from Kansas City, and I am just 15 miles north of Washington, DC in
Maryland, so you and I are on the same latitude of 39°

Feeding honey requires getting a frame next to the cluster, and I dare not
break a cluster in chilly weather.  Honey, even from my own hives could have
disease pathogens in it that I might be unaware of.  Feeding honey in the
spring requires
flying weather for a water source to dilute the honey for nursing larva.
Same thing is true with "candy" - it requires a water source.

I much prefer always using sugar syrup.  No chance of disease, do oddball
honey
sugars that can cause diarrhea, no need for a water source, and no need to
disturb the cluster.  In very cold weather, like 0°, you can remove the inner
cover and place a jar of syrup directly on top of the frames in contact with
the cluster, or even 4
gallon jars with a big cluster.  In March, putting a jar on the inner cover
hole is
fine.

If I have to feed at all, I feed 2:1 sugar syrup in the fall up to February
1st, and then
I use 1:1 sugar syrup in February and March to stimulate queen laying.  My
Carniolans
right now have as many as 10-12 Illinois frames of brood and we have day
temperatures of 50°-60°

I hope you have a fine season, Bob.

George Imirie - starting my 69th year of beekeeping in Maryland
Author of George's Monthly PINK PAGES
EAS Certified Master Beekeeper
Maryland's delegate to AFB and ex-delegate to NHB