Sunday will be Winter Solstice. Each day after that will have a little more daylight. It is said that this is one of nature's ways of telling the creatures spring is on the way.
The queen can resume laying anytime from then until mid Jan. For best buildup and strong hives, many keepers begin feeding both sugar water and pollen substitute shortly after Solstice. By mid Jan. at the latest, for maximum effectiveness. Just be sure they have it available constantly. Feeding, then letting them run out before spring will be worse than not feeding in the beginning, as it will cause them to have thousands of larva to feed, but no stores to feed them.
The queen can resume laying anytime from then until mid Jan. For best buildup and strong hives, many keepers begin feeding both sugar water and pollen substitute shortly after Solstice. By mid Jan. at the latest, for maximum effectiveness. Just be sure they have it available constantly. Feeding, then letting them run out before spring will be worse than not feeding in the beginning, as it will cause them to have thousands of larva to feed, but no stores to feed them.
