BeeMax top hive feeder and general

[beebabyelle1]

Does anyone have any experience with the BeeMax top hive feeders? I started feeding yesterday and checked this morning. The bees can't get the syrup fast enough. Observation inside the hive yesterday was patchy capped honey around the brood, very little. 2 frames in the super above capped on one side toward center, all others open, 6 total. This is a swarm we captured very early in the spring. This swarm came out of the hollow of a tree in my neighbors backyard. Does this make them feral? They look exactly like the Italians. This tree has been producing swarms spring, summer and fall. We did have a bee keeper in the area that quit keeping 7/8 years ago. Everyone says the bees have been in this tree as long as they can remember. Our queen is doing a great job of producing. It has been a wonderful learning experience to work with these bees. They have been very gentle. Is there anything I can do to provide better for this hive

[Jacobs]

I don't have experience with the BeeMax feeder. You may want to consider making your feeding mix 2:1 (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) to make it easier for the bees to put up "honey" for winter.

If your neighbor allows it, you may want to start keeping an eye on the colony in their tree. If it really over winters year after year, those would be especially good bees to catch and hive when they swarm. They sound like good bees to have in any case.

I suspect many of the "feral" hives make it a year or two and then die out. New swarms move in in the spring and occupation of a location continues. Time and your effort will answer the question for these bees. Have fun!

[beebabyelle1]

Thanks for your advice. I will mix 2-1.