--- On Fri, 5/21/10, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
So if you feed syrup to the point of making them honey-bound, then throw
 on a super, do you not stand a good chance of adulterating your honey?
Eugene
 Makovec

In one word, YES.   I think what the beekeepers are trying to tell you is to keep feeding the bees until they have drawn out all the comb that will be used in making brood comb.  You will find, ususally, that the bees are reluctant to draw out the frames at the end.  What you do is swap those out with combs about two frames in from the end.  That will encourage the bees to then draw out that foundation and you will have drawn comb at the ends of the brood nest.   It depends upon your location (latitude, etc.) as to what your bees will need to carry over into the next year.  In the north two full brood chambers are recommended (Some are now even advocating three brood chambers).  Down south, some people are going through the winter with one brood chamber (deep) and sometimes feeding during the winter.   That is your call to make.   But, you need to make sure the bees draw out all the comb that will be needed for the bees for the coming
 winter.  Then in the late summer, if the bees have not laid by sufficient honey stores, then you will need to feed heavy sugar syrup (1:1 ratio).

Mike in LA

From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Building comb
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, May 21, 2010, 1:38 PM

>If you are building comb for honey production you DO NOT want
> to feed the bees syrup of any kind.  If you do, you will in
> all probability be adulterating your honey with artificial
> sweetners (sugar).  The suggestions I've heard is to stop
> feeding about a week before putting on supers for honey
> collection. 

I often hear club leaders advise beginners to feed, feed, feed their bees until they won't take anymore. But don't the bees sometimes move stores upstairs to clear space in the broodnest? So if you feed syrup to the point of making them honey-bound, then throw on a super, do you not stand a good chance of adulterating your honey?

Eugene Makovec
Kirkwood, MO USA

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