okay to feed honey for winter build up?

[yoderski]

New beek here and I have 2 hives that I harvested the last honey the first of September, thinking that they could build up in time for winter.  Although we are surrounded by fields of goldenrod, I don't see much activity there, and they have been very slow in getting the 60-70 pounds of honey they need for the winter.  I did put out 4 of my drone frames for them to clean the honey out.  They did with a vengeance, as well as I suppose numerous other bees--had them cleaned out in just 24 hours....so I was wondering.  I have some old honey given to me that is not that good to eat--could I feed that back to my bees?  I thought about spreading it on the drone frames and using that to give to the bees?

[ian michael davison]

Hi all

Feeding bees honey from an unknown source is the quickest way of spreading disease to your hives never do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get some sugar

Regards Ian

[Brian D. Bray]

Rule of thumb: don't feed animals anything you wouldn't or can't eat.  This is especially true if the animals produce or are used as a food source.

[tom]

Hello

  I agree with what Mr.Bray said i had to find out the hard way when i bought a five frame nuc from a friend. And i did not figure out why they were not building up and when i requeened them and start finding my young bees had thier wings chewed on i then realized it came from mites. Now i am treating all my hives so i shows always be careful when you buy from others and always feed your girls sugar syrup they will love you all the same and you won't have to worry about any kind of infection in your hives.

Tom

[yoderski]

Thanks for the advice--maybe I will just use the honey for cooking or something...I appreciate the help.....