Your bees’ best source of food during winter will likely be their own honey, though if their supplies run low you could use an internal feeder with sugar syrup or fondant (a solid sugar paste commonly used to decorate cakes).
These should be placed directly over the cluster on a warm day; however, do not open your hive to feed as this may introduce moisture that could create problems later in winter.
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Pollen Patties
Pollen patties can be an effective tool in winter to increase brood production and strengthen colonies, particularly those located in areas without natural pollen sources or in early spring when populations must quickly build up prior to nectar flows beginning.
These protein substitute patties are typically composed of pollen, brewer’s yeast and sugar mixed into a flat rectangle shape and wrapped with wax paper for storage above bee clusters for regular inspection to monitor uptake by bees.
Timing can be tricky when it comes to using pollen patties as it’s essential that colonies don’t start raising brood too early, while prolonged cold periods could force bees out of their cluster size and cause starvation; due to this risk many beekeepers opt not to supplement with pollen patties during wintertime.
Dry Sugar
Dry sugar (fondant) is an easy and delicious wintertime food option you can create at home using different recipes. Perfect as an instantaneous source of nourishment!
Sugar syrup can also be placed in a feeder shaped like a full-depth Langstroth frame (known as a division board) on top of the hive, or used to feed an eke; this method requires beekeepers to insert it gently on a day when temperatures are not too cold.
Liquid feed should only be used in cases of emergency, such as when honey stores have depleted and no spring nectar is yet available. Be mindful not to overfeed your bees during winter as they won’t break out of their winter cluster to collect it and may become dehydrated or even die as a result.
Liquid Feed
Some colonies, particularly during late Winter or early Spring when weather patterns reduce foraging opportunities, may need additional sugar sources as a preventative measure against starvation. If this happens to your colony, additional sugar supplements could help ensure starvation does not occur.
For optimal bee health in wintertime, an entrance feeder designed to combine equal portions of sugar and water (by weight or volume) may be your best bet. Bees must travel some distance before arriving at their sugar syrup source through its opening at the top.
Many beekeepers find it easier to use a hive top feeder – typically, a plastic freezer bag filled with sugar syrup that has been punctured with holes with a small nail – as an easier method of feeding their colonies. Once in place over their cluster, beekeepers then replace their cover. Some also opt to float pieces of wood in their syrup as life rafts for any bees who accidentally fall in.
Water
If a colony lacks sufficient food during winter, they could starve. This can happen due to factors like weather or poor foraging conditions; colonies that didn’t experience sufficient fall nectar flow or too many swarming events could even lose their stored honey supply.
In such cases, it’s a good idea to feed colonies a 1:1 mix of sugar and water solution using bucket feeders placed away from their hive or even Boardman style feeders.
Keep in mind that sugar syrup has only a short shelf life and must be replenished often in your feeders to avoid mold growth, otherwise bees may abandon its consumption altogether. Therefore, solid winter feeds such as candy boards or fondant are usually preferred over syrup.
