If you are moving your bees into a package or nuc, they need time to adjust. Many beekeepers feed their newly adopted bees sugar syrup as an aid in this process.
A simple one-to-one ratio of sugar and water provides your bees with the energy they need to promote brood rearing and begin building foundation.
Contents
Dry Sugar
Dry sugar makes an excellent substitute for honey when feeding package bees. The granules of dry sugar are smaller than traditional crystal sugar and dissolve quickly in solution.
Dry sugar comes in various forms. Some are made from fruit sugar and others from cane or beet sugars.
Dry sugar is most often composed of white granulated cane or beet sugar, which has been highly processed to minimize its ash content.
Dry sugar mixed with water is an easy and successful way to feed bees. The exact ratio should be two parts dry granulated sugar to one part water for optimal results; however, for best results use two parts dry granulated sugar per one part water.
Feeding dry sugar to your bees during the spring or fall is an effective way to ensure they never run out of food stores. Additionally, adding some water to the dry sugar before pouring it into the hive makes it easier for them to consume it.
Superfine Sugar
Superfine sugar, also referred to as caster sugar or baker’s sugar, is made from granulated sugar that has been ground into fine crystals. This creates a finer crumb and lighter texture when baked.
Meringgues, souffles and other light desserts often call for powdered sugar because it dissolves more rapidly than granulated sugar does, allowing the ingredients to mix together quickly.
Furthermore, it has less of a tendency to leave behind an unpleasant aftertaste in finished products like ice creams, sorbets and other cold beverages.
Protein-rich diets for bees can encourage brood rearing and help keep their honey stores full as autumn approaches. This may prevent nectar shortages that would otherwise starve the bees, leading them to raid other hives for food.
Pollen Substitutes
Feeding package bees supplementary protein foods during spring and summer to encourage foraging and brood rearing can increase their survival rate, hive size and population. Supplemental diets should be started 6-8 weeks prior to major nectar flows and pollination service.
Protein supplemental diets can be made with high-protein ingredients like soybean meal, milk powder or soyabean protein. These contain essential amino acids and other nutrients for bees to grow into healthy adults.
These diets, also referred to as pollen supplements or supplemental protein diets, are used in place of natural flower pollen when there is a shortage.
Dry pollen substitutes are usually stored outside the hive and collected by bees using a special feeder. This reduces the risk of bee robbers entering the hive and spreading disease.
Sugar Syrup
When honey is scarce, feeding package bees sugar syrup during the winter can help them make it through until they can gather enough nectar to produce honey. This is an effective way to promote brood rearing and build up honey stores for spring.
Making simple sugar syrup is as easy as heating water on the stove until warm, then add two parts sugar to one part water and stirring until fully dissolved.
For optimal results, prepare a batch of sugar syrup using granulated sugar instead of dry sugar. This is much easier for bees to digest than dry sugar.
When dispensing sugar syrup, several options exist. Frame feeders or shallow tray feeders can be used; simply insert a piece of straw at the bottom so bees can reach it without falling into the liquid and drowning.
