Gerald,
Bees Much prefer NATURAL nectar with all its odors, minerals, etc compared to
sugar syrup.  You like maple syrup better than sugar syrup too.

However, packages are DESPERATE for all the food they can get in order to
reproduce so the colony can survive the winter that is coming in 6 months.
They cannot get nectar during the night, during a rain, when it is chilly, or
WHEN THE NECTAR FLOW STOPS.  In most parts of the U. S., there is very little
nectar in July and August.

A package of bees started in April or May has to draw foundation into comb on
20-40 frames before October and bees will NOT work foundation into drawn comb
unless there is a nectar flow on!  Hence, you create an artificial nectar
flow by using 1:1
sugar syrup and feed that syrup CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT EVER STOPPING from now
to about September if you want a strong colony that can set aside winter
stores and be ready for next spring.

Best to ignore what the "good old boys say", because they don't often follow
these directions.

I hope I have helped

George Imirie
Certified EAS Master Beekeeper
Beginning my 70th year of beeKEEPING n Maryland
Author of George's PINK PAGES