Dave Cushman wrote:

 >>Every scientific article I have read has sugar and
 >>hcfs as the best overwintering feed for the north since
 >>both are very low in solids.
 >
 > The above statement is true, but only as far as it goes...
 >
 > It refers to wintering bees (US bees) that cannot cope with the
 > honey produced from the nectars of the plants available in the
 > cold region that the bee finds itself ensconced in.

Actually, the study was a British one. Nothing to do with the US, just
the relative influence of different winter feeds on honey bee longevity.
Honey was the worst, sugar syrup the best.

I repeat. Bees will overwinter on various nectar sources. They do "cope"
with all the fall nectars. It is a matter of degree. Some are worse than
others. (The British study even found that boiled sugar syrup was worse
than dissolved sugar syrup.)

Even adding Tartaric Acid, as suggested by the Hive and the Honey Bee (a
great resource), was found by the study (and later studies) to be
detrimental. But many beekeepers swear by it and say it does not effect
their bees.

If you lose 10-30% more bees in a colony over winter, I doubt if there
is a beekeeper on this list that would notice the difference, since most
do not look until the bees are flying and spring buildup is well
underway. Plus, their comparison is with past years and if it is the
same, then it was a good winter for their bees.

Tartaric Acid has a 5-15% mortality rate compared to plain sugar. You
would never see it with your bees. You could have a 50% greater
mortality rate from winter feed, and if that is what you have every
year, all is well.

What is interesting are the studies that show honey production Vs hive
population. There is a threshold where honey production increases
dramatically. If the beekeeper can have healthy colonies come out of the
winter that build up well, they will have large populations of bees
available to take advantage of the flow. So if you can have 15% or 50%
more bees available after the winter, you are that much more ahead to
take advantage of the flows. In my case, it was probably about 80% more
just because of our conditions and the effects of fall honey.

This discussion happens every fall. As I said, I once listened to the
local beekeepers and was happy with my 20+ pounds per colony and 20-50%
winter colony loss, because that is what everyone got, so we had to be
doing the right thing.

BTW- zero losses last winter. Reports around the state were a poor honey
flow. I had a fine harvest. I am not a good beekeeper. George Imire
would tear me a new one over some of my practices and lack of
inspection. But his over-all management of honey production and winter
management are what makes the difference for me. Works for him in
Maryland, well south of Maine.

Listen to George.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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