SUGAR BOARD!?

[fiveson]

I am confused. If you leave the bees adequate stores of their own honey - why do we need to leave a sugar board?

Rob

[golfpsycho]

Insurance.  I have one colony that has almost used up their stores (the others are still plenty heavy) with at least 6 more weeks of winter to go, I'm glad I made up the fondant when I did.

[Lesli]

I made up some fondant today. When I checked on the girls yesterday, I saw lots of bees. I didn't check for stores, not wanting to disturb them much. But I figure if they're in the top super, they may be consuming the last of their stores. So I boiled up some water and sugar, and poured it into wax-paper lined panes, and the girls will get it to use or not, as needed.

One interesting thing: there was no moisture at all on the inner or outer cover yesterday, but I did see some today on the telescoping cover, just outside the cut out I made for them on the inner cover. Funny to think of the bees exhaling moisture, just as we do.

[Robo]

I am confused. If you leave the bees adequate stores of their own honey - why do we need to leave a sugar board?

Rob

Or as Finman will tell you it is a matter of economics.  Honey is more valuable than sugar,  so rob the more expensive honey and feed them the cheaper sugar.

I tend to have the same philosophy as golfpsycho,  sugar is cheap insurance that your bees don't starve.  If you make a sugar board, there is no waste.  What they don't consume this year, you can save and give back to them next year.

[Lesli]

I tend to have the same philosophy as golfpsycho, sugar is cheap insurance that your bees don't starve. If you make a sugar board, there is no waste.

And 75 cents for sugar is cheaper than $60 for a package of bees.  

[Kris^]

I am confused. If you leave the bees adequate stores of their own honey - why do we need to leave a sugar board?

Rob

In my case, it was because of the mite treatment and the weather.  When I treated my hives, the population dropping off significantly.  But the weather stayed relatively warm and the queen ended up laying a few thousand eggs in November, and consumed most of their stores then.  I tried feeding them more syrup, but it was difficult getting them to take much more that late in the season.  So I put a sugar board on.  And it seems to be getting them through.

-- Kris