When purchasing package honeybees it is a smart idea to feed them. Why? Think about it, the honeybees are moved into a brand new home after traveling in many cases a long distance. With package bees, they don’t have any suitable honeycomb stored.
From what I’ve been reading, it’s a good idea to assist them until they start actively going out and collecting nectar on their own. As a beekeeper, I will feed the new honeybees until they have plenty of honey stores for the winter months. What’s sad, is that some beekeepers get a bit greedy and take too much honey which means their bees starve during the winter.
The past few years, our Maryland winters have been unpredictable. Some days it’s been cold and other days unseasonably warm. From what I’ve been reading, Honeybees do not travel outside their hive when it gets too cold.
Yesterday, I purchased the Hive top bar feeder. This will be my only feeder purchase next time I’ll make my own. I’ll also be making my own Honeybee feast for my honeybees. The recipe is simple a 1:1 mix of water and raw sugar.
Excellent! ANother idea for using Mason Jars!
Jennifer recently posted..Vamping up Convenience Foods & A Homemade Dressing!
@Jennifer, There are many used for Mason jars. Occasionally I use them to store crafts, my herbs find their way into those jars, and I’ve made wine with them too… 😉
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Excellent! I also have over 80 around my house for different things! I’d love to hear more about the wine you made, too!
Jennifer recently posted..The Impossible, Kitchen Book Shelf, Work Food Hull, Vegan Mac & Cheese with Savory Spinach, and Deep Thoughts…
@Jennifer, The wine was made years ago, I must have been about 23 or perhaps 24. 😉 Who knows, I might make some again…
Aynaria recently posted..Adentures in Beekeeping: The bees are coming…