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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Scott Sipe <cscotts AT gmail.com>
  • To: "<ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>" <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] Thirsty Hive
  • Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2016 16:43:43 -0500

This last Saturday I put down a batch of 2:1 syrup that I made with about 5 lbs of sugar. I didn't quite fill up the hive top feeder all the way, but it was quite full.

By noon Sunday, just about 24 hours later, there was not a drop of syrup remaining, and the number of bees hanging out in the screened off portion of the feeder was as high as I've seen over the last year.

This hive is in one 10-frame deep, feels reasonably heavy (I don't have much basis for comparison), and the cluster takes up about 5-6 frames. Attached is a picture I took with a thermal camera from underneath the hive (on 2/12 when the outside temperature was about 29-30). You can kind of make out the bars (dark colors), dead bees that have fallen onto the screened bottom board (small dark blobs) and the cluster (big yellow ball).

With no basis of comparison, is that normal for this time of year? Good / Bad / Neutral?

Thanks,
Scott
(I posted this to the Durham list too, so sorry if anybody is getting this as a duplicate message!)




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