A quick search of the archives didn't yield a satisfactory answer. Hobbyist here, so I apologize in advance if I'm in over my head on Bee-L (university level biology was 30 years ago).

On Randy's page, an article dated 2013 mentions feeding dinks 1:1 syrup in quart jars above the cluster in January to encourage the dinks to make 4-5 frame minimum for pollination. As one always hears and reads not to feed syrup unless air temperatures are 50F minimum, and the Sierra Foothills where Randy is in January average 53F, BUT night lows average 32F, what are people's experience with liquid feed in January and February? The goal is build up of colonies of less than two frames, including clusters as small as a softball as of mid January, using 1:1 as "stimulative" feed, not as emergency feed. 

What should be the expected result, if any, of feeding liquid 1:1 to small colonies at outside air temperatures of 45F or less, and nighttime lows in the mid 30's F. ?

Rob
Puget Sound, Washington (state)
USDA zone 8a average daytime air temp Jan=45F, Feb=49F

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