winter feeding

[magprob]

I put sugar on all my hives for winter. It absorbs excess moisture, and turns into a block of candy, extending their food stores. I think it is the best way to overwinter in the cold north, but I am getting a lot of hives, and sugar is getting more and more expensive!

[aceman4564564]

sugar

[ms132872]

it's sugar, the point is this is an easy way to feed if they get light on stores.

[mgfurst]

was that shurgar or snow?

[DH2020]

Can bees actually fly when it falls well below the freezing point?!

[robomantis]

No they cannot. They can fly when temps reach into the 60's-70's maybe 50's.

[jellric]

Actually bees can fly at temperatures much, much lower than what robomantis stated. I have observed mine flying at temps as low as mid 40s albeit briefly and fewer in number. Generally they seem to prefer flying in temps when they get over 55 or so.

[smuckerlingos]

bees fly looking for water in winter to dilute their honey (or sugar) to feed on. winter bees do very different job to their summer cousins, i've heard that out of the many sub speicies some a re better at the winter game, ie surviving winter....