> I doubt that the notion that bees can't use crystallized honey in the 
> winter is true.

Like many categorical statements about bees, there is some truth to it, but 
it may not be universally true, particularly where beekeepers have an 
appropriate management scheme or where conditions happen to mitigate the 
effects.

Many factors many mitigate or exacerbate the problem of wintering bees and 
granulated honey.

How hard is the honey?
What is its moisture content?
What is the sugar profile?
How strong are the bees?
What type of bees are they?
How healthy are they?
Do they have brood and how much?
Where is the feed located?
How well drawn is the comb and how old?
How much moisture is available in the hive?
How long is the longest extreme cold stretch?
How much ventilation is there?
How exposed to winds are the hives?
How much sun do they get?

Strong, healthy colonies of a good wintering strain in a good hive in a good 
location can manage quite a few hardships that weaker, less robust or poorly 
set-up colonies cannot.

We have seen rock-hard granulated honey and if that is all the bees have and 
there is insufficient moisture or heat for them to be able to liquefy it as 
quickly as they are burning calories, then the colony suffers.   The results 
can be colony death or just poor performance.

Granulated alfalfa honey IMO is comparable in quality to good liquid honey 
or stored syrup.  Soft canola honey is fine, too.  But the rock-hard stuff 
can be a killer.

As for the sugar on the top bars, using it depends on the bees having enough 
moisture.  In damp regions this is less of a problem, but inland where the 
air can be very dry at times, the bees can have trouble conserving enough 
moisture to utilize it well.

 

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