At this stage in August or September, your bees should have enough stores to see them through clustering for winter. Unfortunately, weather and foraging conditions can sometimes compromise this goal, making it crucial to feed bees regularly.
Feed with dry sugar poured down Screened Bottom Boards or baggie feeders; I generally use 1:1 sugar water in spring and 2:1 in fall.
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Feeding in September
Beekeepers may decide not to feed in September if the colony has ample stored honey and is healthy; however, if its stores are low or it has struggled in cooler autumn temperatures then feeding may be necessary.
Sugar syrup should be mixed with equal parts water at a ratio of 2:1 (sugar to water). Heavy syrup is easier for bees to digest.
Some regions experience late Summer drought with few flowering plants, leading to decreased food reserves in their colonies. When this happens, adding sugar water in early Fall could help boost them back up before winter arrives.
Beekeepers may add extra nutrition for their bees by mixing in supplements like Honey B Healthy or Hiveworld Brood Powder into their syrup, either mixed into it directly or sprinkled onto each cluster. A baggie feeder is another method used which involves filling a gallon zip lock bag with syrup and placing it atop of the hive with one or three small slits cut in it for feeding purposes.
Feeding in October
Feeding is especially crucial for colonies that lack enough comb to store enough honey for winter, often as an indication that their queen has stopped laying eggs and they need additional comb to survive the harsh conditions of winter.
Some beekeepers feed syrup at a ratio of one part sugar to two parts water (by weight or volume), while others utilize hive top feeders with inverted containers of syrup on the inner cover of their hives. A medium-to-strong colony typically eschews any type of feeder in a matter of days regardless of which feeder type was employed.
Some beekeepers utilize food stimulants such as Honey-Bee-Healthy, Amino Acid boosters or micro/Pro-Biotics in their syrup in the fall to encourage bees to quickly empty feeders and strengthen their colony strength. Unfortunately, new additives are being sold commercially with unknown safety or efficacy results. When feeding bees during this season it is recommended that entrances be reduced as much as possible to deter robbing and decrease airflow for maximum warmth within the hive.
Feeding in November
Goal of feeding bee colonies until they have stored enough honey to last through winter is dependent upon your region and amount of natural forage available to them.
As part of your yearly inspections, it is wise to periodically monitor your colonies to ensure that they have sufficient food stores and overall wellbeing. Also essential at this time are checks for Varroa Mites or Queen issues that might threaten their existence.
Feeding bees using granulated white cane sugar mixed 2:1 with water can help avoid starvation in Fall and Winter colonies, although additional feeding may be required during swarm season when colonies must quickly increase in numbers quickly enough for successful reproduction. Beekeepers may choose not to supplement feeding in Winter as long as colonies were well fed in Fall; this allows colonies to store enough energy in their combs during this period without experiencing starvation; many beekeepers don’t feed during Winter if colonies had enough food stored up during Fall, although during this period supplemental feeding may be required in order to avoid weak colony colonies from starting this spring season swarm season when quickly expanding population growth demands supplementing of additional strength so as to prevent weak colony from taking hold resulting in this time period when more intensive feeding may be necessary in order to prevent weak colony strength due to expansion caused by rapid population expansion of populations as in Fall;
Feeding in December
Well-managed colonies rarely need additional feeding during Winter; however, if a colony’s stores begin running low as winter draws near it is prudent to supplement. Furthermore, monitoring their weight regularly throughout Winter ensures they have enough food until Spring.
Feeding bees with sugar syrup or fondant-type products like fondant patties is often done using baggie feeders; these consist of gallon zip lock bags containing three quarts of sugar syrup that can easily be laid across top bars with one side slitted open for easy inspection and replacement as needed.
Based on your climate, some months may provide favorable food accumulation (April to October), while other may require feeding during November through February. By performing regular inspections you can help maintain balance among colonies and avoid needing Winter feedings.
