In winter, honeybees are in need of a nutritious, high-calorie diet, so you should consider introducing some sugar bricks or a fondant mixture into your beekeeper’s winter menu. Besides honey, you can try preparing pollen patties and honey. If you’re unable to find these products, try a solid winter feed instead. A solid feed is more reliable for clustering bees, as they’ll dissolve it with the cluster moisture in the air.
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Sugar bricks
If you want to make your own winter bee feed, the easiest and most convenient method is to use sugar bricks. These are simple to make and install in your hive. Place a sugar brick on top of each frame in the top box and under the inner cover. You don’t have to expose the bees to the brick’s entire surface. If you’re using a food dehydrator, you can harden the bricks in one day. Then, simply place them on the frames of the top hive box, under the inner cover of the hive.
Alternatively, you can make sugar bricks with a candy board or even homemade fondant. There are several options for winter bee feed, but the first two methods are relatively cheap and easy to make and install. This method is not only easy, but it also allows you to offer a long-term feeding option for your bees. Sugar bricks are best suited for hives located in colder climates.
Fondant
A beekeeper can use a simple sugar syrup to make a specialized bee feed for winter. The sugar syrup is made by combining lemon juice and refined sugar, and heating it until it dissolves. It contains an acid that breaks down the long-chain carbohydrates in sucrose and makes it suitable for bees to digest. Bees feed on this syrup to convert nectar to honey, which is then a source of energy. Beekeepers tend not to feed their bees syrup in the early spring, because it can stimulate brood production and natural forage may not be adequate for their needs.
In the fall and winter, it is not a good idea to feed your bees, but you can use fondant to save your colony. It is best to use fondant if you find the stores of nectar are low, or if you are trying to save your colony. This type of feed requires little disturbance and works to replace the natural stores of the hive. Bees will enjoy the syrup and will draw energy from the stiffened sugar.
Honey
If you’re unsure about whether to use honey as bee feed for winter, here are some tips. The first thing to know is that honey has many complex nutritional components, and sugar syrup simply cannot substitute for them. Feeding the bees will help them prepare for winter and allow weak genetics to persist. You may also want to give them some liquid feed, and consider putting some mold inhibitor in the mix.
Sugar is the most convenient bee feed for winter, and it has the advantage of being easy for bees to process. This type of feed is the preferred choice for fall honey bees, who store thick syrup instead of nectar. Refined white cane sugar and beet sugar are good choices, as raw sugar can upset their digestive systems. You can also give them extra honey from stronger hives during the fall to avoid the sugar.
Pollen patties
Winter bees are often at their lowest activity levels, but they still need a nutritious diet. A good way to ensure the health of your hives is to supply them with pollen patties. Beekeepers should make sure the patties contain a low protein content to prevent premature stimulation. When preparing these patties, be sure to include enough pollen to last at least one month. This can be done with pollen patties, or it can be made with a combination of dry ingredients.
In the spring, pollen patties are given to bee colonies in order to stimulate brood production. These patty treats should be given to your bees during early spring, or just before the nectar flow. However, it is important to know that pollen patties should not be given to bee colonies that are not yet fully established. They can help weaker colonies increase their number and queen.
Powder
During the winter months, the most beneficial thing for bees is plenty of food. A dry pollen substitute is one great way to supplement their winter diet. Make sure that you place the feeder outdoors and away from livestock. This way, you’ll prevent the powder from being contaminated by livestock, and the bees will be able to get at it easily. The Pro Nuc boxes are my favorite. You can also use ground corn as a substitute.
In early January, the bees will still be in clusters, but the food supply will be very limited. They will be laying less honey than usual, and will only go outside on warm days to perform their necessary tasks. In mid-March, the queen bee will begin laying her eggs at full capacity. The hive will start to operate normally as spring approaches. During this time, the bees will start to fly more, and the colony will begin to expand.
