I’m not sure about the nectar flow…it’s been cold and a little rain here, so the bees haven’t been leaving the hive. That’s why I was surprised to see they haven’t drank the sugar water. There are five foundationless frames for them to fill, so I figured they would be using that sugar water for extra energy.
OK, that would also explain it. Bees don’t like syrup when the temperatures are consistently below 55°F, because they have to fan to concentrate it, and that cools the hive. They might prefer fondant patties. Mann Lake carries some good ones. 
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Would granulated sugar work for now until it warms up a bit?
First time I’m seeing dead or nearly dead bees being tossed out and finding some laying around on the ground. I guess the newbies are cleaning house.
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Granulated sugar is fine, and you can moisten it just a bit to make it stay put. There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of water for them to liquefy it a little as needed 
Anything you can put on the top and outside of the stack to keep warmth in would also be good, until the temps improve.
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I went out and watched the hive for a few minutes…to my shock I watched as the foragers were busy bringing in pollen on their legs in 59F cloudy weather!! These are supposed to be Italian bees, but foraging on cooler days is more of a trait of the Carniolan bees. Interesting…
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My Italians forage on cool days too. Pollen is prized by bees at this time of year when they need to build up the colony. Pollen-heavy stores help with brood production. Honey has carbohydrates, but pollen has the protein and lipids that larvae need to develop and grow. Spring is the time for colony growth, so pollen is essential. You have good bees!
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Right! Tells me they are building out comb too, or they wouldn’t be out foraging…yay!
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