In a message dated 96-09-26 12:35:07 EDT, [log in to unmask] (John Taylor)
writes:
 
<< 3.  The girls are flat out sucking down the sugar water when I fill
 the top feeder - do I need to supplement feed pollen/soy powder or
 will they gather what they need? >>
 
    When they're hoggin' the feed, that's a good sign of a healthy hive. I'd
leave the feeder on until the second body is filled.
 
    If you have goldenrod and asters blooming, your bees should gather plenty
of high quality pollen. They should be shutting down brood rearing soon, so
they won't need much until late winter/spring, then you might want to
evaluate pollen stores.
 
    We can pretty much feed year-around here, but I suspect your winters are
a little colder, and bees don't process well in cold weather. Even if they
take feed, they have trouble evaporating water.  So I doubt you could feed,
at least in December and January.
 
<<Anything I may have not asked about?>>
 
   Keep the mice out.  And make sure they have some kind of top ventilation
to get rid of moisture. Break the cold winds from the north and west, and try
to have sunshine hit the hives on nice days.
 
    Good luck.
 
[log in to unmask]    Dave Green,  PO Box 1200,  Hemingway,  SC
29554        (Dave & Jan's Pollination Service,  Pot o'Gold Honey Co.)
 
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