Hello All,
I've been following the thread with not a little amusement. Just to
share the perspective from the tropics, where no wintering has to take
place, I do feed my hives with sugar during the dearth or rainy season.
From late May to early December, I feed my bees with about a liter of
sugar syrup weekly to tide them over. It doesn't make sense to feed in
large quantities as the syrup will just ferment.
In my experience (17 years), feeding sufficiently in the dearth season
determines the strength of the colonies when the honeyflow starts. We
don't usually have flows when the bees literally explode out of the hive
to gather the nectar, thus the build-up is more gradual. And if I allow
the bees to use the early flow to build up, two months of the season
will have passed before the hives are in proper strength.
I remain convinced that feeding bees during the dearth and during the
winter is the management technique of responsible beekeepers, regardless
of whether some beginners question the propriety of such practice.
Regards,
Dave General
Cagayan de Oro City
Philippines
8.29N 124.39E
 
 
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