> My mentor approved of my general "leave things alone" policy, but             
> said if I really wanted a good crop to feed some of the sugar early           
> to get the hives built up. This seemed extravagant to me, but I put           
> feeders on three hives, leaving the other three alone.                        
>                                                                               
> As you may guess, the cold weather followed, and now that the                 
> season's on, the three hives that I didn't feed are going great, but          
> the others have only a few bees.                                              
                                                                                
This makes no sense to me and there must be more to this than meets             
the eye.                                                                        
                                                                                
Feeding sugar syrup correctly in the early part of the build up                 
period should not be particularly harmful, and should be beneficial             
-- cold weather or not.  Maybe there was too much moisture in the               
syrup?                                                                          
                                                                                
Correct ratios, good water, proper feeders, etc. are necessary, but I           
just can't imagine what happened here.                                          
                                                                                
I wonder what it was about these three hives that singled them out              
for feeding?                                                                    
                                                                                
Whatever it was, is it the reason for their poor performance?                   
                                                                                
Regards                                                                         
                                                                                
Allen                                                                           
                                                                                
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK         
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0                                         
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]                                
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>