In a message dated 10/4/00 3:31:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> So I purchased and installed a Hive Top Feeder, which can hold =
>  four gallons of sugar syrup.
>      My question is what happens when the syrup freezes? The bees are not =
>  able to ball around it to thaw it out - like I understand they do on the =
>  frames. Does this new hive have a chance?

   If they have so many bees, they do have a chance.  But you should not
continue feeding syrup into cold weather. The bees have plenty enough
problems trying to get rid of water, without contending with the water in the
syrup. So freezing is not your problem.

   I suggest that you remove the liquid feeder when cold weather arrives and
begin dry sugar feeding.  Make a 1 1/2 to 2 inch rim. Place an excluder down
first, if you are going to use this thru spring. Then your rim, then a sheet
of newspaper. Fill the rim with dry sugar.

    Moisture rising from the bees below will solidify the sugar into a block,
and will also wet and sweeten the newspaper. They will then chew thru the
paper, as needed, and will consume the condensate dampened sugar.  To work
effectively, the sugar should be directly above the cluster, so they can feed
whenever it is warm enough to move.  With the swarm so late, you may also
wish to supplement the pollen.

    Another aid is a double screen so you can set this colony over a strong
hive, where they will gain the surplus heat from below. Place the upper
entrance at the back in relation to the lower entrance. You will still get a
little drift upward, but you don't want to kill the lower hive with too much
drift.

   I have gotten late swarms thru by such techniques. I also wonder if it is
really worth it, because it is quite expensive to provide ALL the feed for
the bees.  You might consider combining with a hive that has sufficient
weight but has a poor queen that you can kill. That way you will also save
another hive in the process.

Dave Green
http://pollinator.com

To kill a fungus: Try a fungicide
To kill a rat or mouse: Try a rodenticide
To kill an insect: Try an insecticide
To kill a human: Try homicide
(But that's too frank for a lot of folks, so they call it RU-486.)