Anne,

Don't give up on your bees yet!  Like Dick said, don't use a bottom 
feeder.  You don't need an upper entrace until after freezing temps.  
Just keep your reduced bottom entrance for now.

Put an empty super over the inner cover and, if you don't have a top 
feeder, place several very shallow (bee-deep) trays on the inner 
cover and pour your 2:1 syrup into them.  Check and re-fill, as 
needed, the trays daily.  Make sure the top is bee tight!

If the robbers continue to get in through the bottom entrance, move 
the hive some 15 yards away and rotate it about 90 deg.  If this does 
not help, screen the bottom entrance and move the hive into a shed or 
a garage.

A warm garage will encourage the bees to take the feed down better.  
In fact, you can overwinter your hive and continue feeding (just 
place a screen over the super so bees can't come out and you add 
syrup) through the screen in a warm garage.  If you have a handtruck, 
you can roll the hive out on nice days for cleansing flights. 

If you try this approach, try to keep the hive cool (32-40F) when you 
are not feeding.  An outdoor shed would be best.  This will keep the 
bees calmer and reduce the need for cleansing flights.

Whatever you do, don't throw in the towel right away!

Waldemar

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