[Paul O]

I put some 2:1 sugar syrup in my hives several days ago. I just checked and they are showing no interest in it. Is that normal?

 

[1shotwade]

Yeap! You must have a nectar flow going on. What's in bloom around you? Goldenrod I would think.


Wade

 

[Paul O]

Thanks for the reply Wade,
Yes, we still have some some plants in bloom; goldenrod and some others. I guess they'll get to the syrup when they want it.
Paul

 

[Iddee]

Also, if the temps in Maine are such that the sugar water dropped below 55 F. they will not take it.

 

[Paul O]

Iddee,
Yes, that could be. Maybe I'm too late. We haven't had a frost yet but the temps have been dropping.

Paul

 

[docholiday]

Have you checked your hives to make sure they have sufficient honey to eat over winter? If they have enough honey already, there's no need to feed, especially if they are still gathering naturally. I started my bees this past early spring, they started with an empty hive and not much was blooming yet, so I had to feed them sugar water a lot. They were going through a large mason jar every 2 days at first. As things started blooming, they were hitting my feeder less and less, until eventually they weren't touching it. This told me that nature was providing and I no longer had too. The time to start feeding will be end of winter early spring, probably sometime in march. This is when they will probably have depleted the honey they had in the hive, and there wont be enough pollen or gatherers yet to keep them sustained.

I'm no expert, this is my first year as a beekeeper, but hopefully that helps and is solid advice.