> From: Keith Malone
> If on the other hand a beekeeper never fed sugar syrup to the bees
> (like myself) that beekeeper knows that the honey their bees produce will
> not be artificial.

Actually, not true.  It would also depend on what your bees have found in
their forage range.  If it includes soft drink bottling plants, ballfields
or dump areas, they could be picking up quantities of artifical sugars and
bringing it in.

> And it would seem you are harping back trying your best to defend and
> legitimize sugar syrup feed. A beekeeper does not have to feed sugar syrup
> to keep bees alive during nectar dearths. There are methods that are used
by
> beekeepers that requires no sugar syrup feed.

Ok, solve this: It started raining here in January, continued thru the
entire build up season, then at least ever two-three days during the nectar
flow.  Bees here built up pretty well, but were weak coming out of winter.
By the end of the nectar flow (late June), all 10 hives were strong.
However, they had very little honey stored.  A few weeks later, some were at
the point of total starvation (dead bees out front, no stores, bees not
flying).  Total harvest of honey this year: zero. Total honey available to
feed: zero.  How are they to be saved, without feeding sugar? Which I did
and they are doing better, only two still at point of no stores -- IF there
is a good fall flow, they should be able to build up enough stores for
winter -- if not, it will be sugar again.  Your solution: feed honey. there
is none. I won't buy it from elsewhere, even if it were not many times more
expensive (to prevent spread of disease).  Today marks the 6th day of no
rain  - possibly a record length of time for this year (at 4 days, it was so
remarkable, it was a lead-in for the weather forecast).  Forecast for
tomorrow: 30-40% chance of rain (and continuing for the next week).  Of
course, there is nothing much blooming now.  There are a few early
goldenrood, scattered garden plants, but no major flow, still.  This weather
has resulted in similar honey yields for most beekeepers in the area -- many
are averaging not more than 3 lbs per hive (instead of the 60+ for this
area).  Some up in sourwood areas are not reporting any better luck there.

What is "best" for bees and what is "required" are not always the same.
Comparing the "dearth" of winter to that of mid-summer (with 90+ weather) is
simply an attempt to confuse the issue.

Other areas of the country have had decent weather (we made more during the
last two years of drought than in this continuing downpour) and  are more
likely to have honey to leave on (which we generally do).

Karen

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