A summer drought resulted in no nectar for the bees. After we harvested honey, we found they were eating the stores we'd planned for them to have for the winter. Mark had some honey from a tear-out to feed them, but wanted to feed them in bulk rather than using top feeders in each individual hive.
He cut holes in a bucket, inserted sticks so the bees could climb out of the liquid if needed, and strapped it down on a stand a short distance from Bee Hill. Putting it in the bee yard might encourage robbing -- when stronger bees attack a weaker colony to steal their stores.
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It didn't take long for our colonies to devour the bucket of honey, and he refilled it at least once before the fall-blooming wildflowers began to appear.
Lately the bees have had some serious pollen packed on their bodies to bring back to the hive!
