Hi Sandy,

You may rest assured that, with so many bees, the syrup in your big feeder
will not likely freeze.  I tried that in 0F-10F weather last year, and
there was plenty of heat from the bees quickly to cause fermentation.  The
fermentation gave the bees made the bees dungy and I had to change over to
sugar cakes.  The cakes (they're in the archives) worked great and the bees
lived on them from just after New Years day until the Spring nectar flows.
 Right now your colony may be able to put away much syrup as sugar-honey,
and it's great if they can.  Just don't give them so much syrup at a time
that it ferments.  Right now, my robust colonies are consuming their
Fumidil syrup at about two quarts in half a day per colony.  I like the
division board feeders from Better Bee for this because they are plastic,
and can be thoroughly cleaned to inhibit fermentation.  If you have two
such feeders you can shake the bees out of the empty onto the top bars,
give them a clean one, and clean the empty.  Since your swarm may also have
little pollen, you might wish to know that last winter my bees also
consumed many patties of pollen substitute  and seemed very glad to get
them.  There seemed to be a marked improvement in their attitude following
the Winter and Spring feeding.

Long live your swarm,

Bill Morong