In a message dated 11/28/2014 5:05:47 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
THe message I am getting is that if I want splittable hives early I should
start feeding patties in January and not Nov. or Dec., right?
Yes, If you want to split the end of February/First of March. Tough to
get queens much earlier unless you want to make a "walk away split" and let
the bees raise their own queen. If they raise their own queen the first
workers would emerge in the middle of April. This means that you will not
have many bees if you are interested in catching the nectar flow in SC ( end
of March/first of April thru end of May/first of June). Don't know what
your strategy/goal is. If you feed patties/syrup too early you will be
spending a lot of money keeping the bees alive and not starving.
Steve Tabor often thought about experimenting and feeding patties/ syrup
early to see if he could make a super of honey off the maples the end of
January/first of February. I do not know of anyone in SC that has
successfully done that.
Dave MacFawn
Lexington, SC
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