As summer ends, nectar flows diminish and the colony becomes more defensive of its resources. Strong colonies may begin robbing smaller or weaker ones for food.
Feeding a colony during these times of stress can be an effective way to maintain their health and productivity. In addition to honey, hives require protein for growing young bees as well as feeding any brood that emerges.
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Early Spring Feeding
As outdoor temperatures warm and flowering trees bloom, honey bee colonies begin brood rearing. This energy-intensive process requires them to quickly deplete stored honey and pollen resources.
Once brood rearing begins, colonies must be carefully monitored to guarantee there are enough floral resources available. This can be challenging when spring weather can be unpredictable.
Beekeepers can feed supplemental sugar syrup to support early brood rearing and help colonies thrive in spring when floral resources are limited or unpredictable. Doing this helps combat diseases like Chalkbrood or Sacbrood that often occur when floral resources are scarce or unstable.
Medium to strong bee colonies can be fed dry white table sugar placed on hive mats or in-trays under the lid of the hive. The bees will source water from outside or use condensation within the hive to liquefy sugar crystals into liquid food.
Late Summer Feeding
In late summer, if bees haven’t stored enough honey for winter, you may want to feed them a 2:1 sugar-water syrup. This is stronger than a 1:1 syrup and helps stimulate brood production.
Feeding for winter can be a challenging task, so it’s essential to inspect your hives regularly. Not only will this help determine whether they are queenright, mite-infected or weak, but it’s also an invaluable opportunity to gain insight into each individual bee in your colony.
Once you determine your overall objectives for the next three months, it’s time to decide how much food your bees should receive. Keep in mind that any frames or supers on during this period cannot be sold as honey; they are not natural nectar sources.
Fall Feeding
Fall is a crucial time to feed a bee colony as they prepare for winter. A healthy supply of honey will ensure the colony’s sustenance throughout the cold months.
When winter approaches in a moderate climate, bee colonies require different amounts of food. A full deep hive should have around 55 pounds of honey when temperatures drop; in colder regions this amount could rise up to 90 pounds.
Colonies that lack food supplies can be fed sugar syrup. Making it is a simple process – simply mix equal parts sugar and water, similar to what they use during spring and summertime.
Another way to assess a colony’s food supplies is the “heft test.” Lifting or tipping one side of the brood box will give an indication of its weight.
Winter Feeding
Honey bee colonies should build up a substantial supply of honey before winter arrives, but some do not have enough to last through the cold weather or other circumstances.
In such cases, a beekeeper may need to feed the bees in order to replenish their stores. This is usually done between late August and early September in order to guarantee that the colony has enough energy throughout winter.
Sugar syrup is a common way for beekeepers to supplement their honey supply during the fall season. Bees have more capacity for storage of sugar syrup than honey, making it easier for them to preserve thicker syrup for later use.
Dry white sugar is another option, though it should only be fed to medium-to-strong colonies since weaker ones cannot liquefy dry sugar crystals into liquid. You can place dry sugar on hive mats or in trays under the lid; bees will gather water and use it for food as needed.
