Topping Dry Sugar In Bee Hives At 28°F

Feeding dry sugar to honey bees during the winter is a great supplement and it also does wonders for collecting moisture in the colony. Watch as I add sugar to a few nucs at 28°F. How do you think the bees will respond with me opening the hives in the cold?

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[cluelessbeekeeping]

We, NEVER get snow, well, almost never.
Last Sunday it SNOWED a bunch (6"....ya, you heard me, that's a lot for around here, where we generally get zero snow)
Any-hoo, it was around 30 degrees and I moved a nuc of bees into a full 8-frame box. Removed the bees in one big frame cluster and placed them in their new home. They've been expanding throughout our 'brutal winter.' They started out small, like 1-frame small and are up to 4 frames (deeps). I look forward to their Spring growth, that should be a good hive to watch!
Love your channel!

[Doxymeister]

Amazing to see activity in such low temperatures! Hey, good to see Ladybug too--gotta love on those fur-babies too. Thanks, Jason!

[strutt]

Dude! Ladybug was posing for the camera right after you were hugging on her. Lol she looks happy as a ladybug. :)

[jamessmith-djie]

Jason I admire your patience with the ones who say that if your bees starve over the winter that you did not leave them enough food. That's not always the case. Sure some smaller colonies could have used a little more to start with. In western NC I can usually get by with a deep and one medium just fine. Some mild winters with a large Italian colony a deep and 2 mediums wouldn't be enough. That is why I like carniolans, they are more frugal.

[cluelessbeekeeping]

_"M'lady, the Sugar God has graced us with his glory, pure cane sugar, upstairs! Hail the great Sugar God!"_

[WrongWayBeekeeper]

Thanks for the video. Had to add sugar to 5 (light) hives last week. Like you, I should have done it a couple of weeks ago but life sometimes gets in the way. Luckily all were alive and well.

[jeffeubanks]

I’m trying this method this year. And I’m liking the results so far. I really like your channel! I’ve been keeping bees for 5 years.

[ricksutton]

I enjoy watching ladybug I think she's the real beekeeper your operation and you're just taking all the glory.😁😁 hehe

[BandJslittlefarm]

Just stopping by to say hi and sending love ! Great informative info!

[MrFHLH]

Ladybug just worships the ground you walk on lololol. Interesting video as always Justin, thanks very much. Liked my bee's funny how all the hives react to the same temperature.

[hivesohio]

Timely information Jason! I checked on my hives today and out of 16 hives I have 8 that need attention. I also identified a moisture problem that I have to address with quilt boxes if they are gonna make it till spring. Time to go to work!

[sammymixonii]

I got some of the Barnyard round feeders and I take 8oz of 2:1 sugar water(with the HBH in it) mix it with 4lbs of sugar. This is enough for two feeders. leave the plastic cup out and just put the lid on the feeder. Works good for me.

[johnoliver]

“The sugar poured down the little hole I made.” Inside the hive one bee to another bee, wtf its snowing!

[whatever]

Good morning to you and Ladybug, great video on how you feed your bees dry sugar, . I feed my bees about the same way
. I use single ply paper towels over 1/2 rabbit wire, it makes it easier for me to check the hives when the weather gets warmer and I go in the hives.. Thanks for the videos..

[thilltony]

Nice video. That little colony looks finished, but maybe there is a chance, I guess.
I use paper towel when feeding in the winter. They go through it a lot easier than hard paper.
I also make a soft sugar patty for them. I mix a single pollen patty with 10 lbs sugar, and about pint of sugar syrup in the Kitchen Aid mixer. Mix until consistent, then add the syrup until it gets damp and easily forms patties. I put it on paper towel and freeze it. They like it MUCH better than dry sugar and it has a little protein in it, too. They eat it before they eat their own honey. Try it, and I think you will like it.

[kellyellingson]

Hi! You are correct that feeding can be necessary, BUT should prepare in fall, as I don’t believe in encouraging new beekeepers to be doing this as they may not be judging correctly., though your closing statement says this. Please try to do your winter prep prior to winter. Thank for sharing! Great info for someone with a bit of experience already

[stBumbleBeeMaster]

I kid you not I put dry sugar in a few of my hives not as food but as a moisture preventative and they just chucked it all out had pyramids of sugar out side the entrance. The little sods! It was to cold for them to fly out so it all got dumped just out side, So now in each hive top feeder there is a gigantic block of sugar like a huge polo mint. I made it using the dehydrator. So now they cannot turf it all out haha But they can use it as it gets damp with winter moisture.
Agree its very important to make sure they do not starve in winter.

[beesandtractors]

Great video Jason. I hope you can pull that 2nd much thru. It was great to see Miss Ladybug out and abt. Looks like you're starving her tho😄
Have a great day!

[saeedish]

Hi friend how are you from 11 good hives only one left in this time I had it for two months and has little bid bees in it I just want to know why don’t get more bees the queen make eggs and reach larva then dispirited had some brood they don’t eat sugar water but they eat pollen patty can you let me know what is going on in there

[mathiaodermatt]

How often do you need to feed the dry sugar through your winters, on average? Will they eat through a large pile of sugar very quickly?