Honey bees require 100 to 200 grams of protein every week, some of which comes from their hive’s brood food supply.
Unfortunately, even this source isn’t always reliable; for example, Varroa mites and Nosema ceranae microsporidia can steal protein from beehives.
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Dry Sugar
Honey bees require carbohydrates, amino acids (protein from pollen), lipids (fatty acids and sterols), minerals, vitamins and water as essential nutrition sources. Most of their needs can be fulfilled naturally; when supplementation becomes necessary however, dry sugar provides an ideal feeding source.
Beekeepers commonly make their own sugar syrup for supplementary feeding by mixing sugar with water and adding different amounts of acidity – usually lemon juice or vinegar – while others use commercial products such as inverted sugar syrup or high fructose corn syrup which has been heated to reduce bacteria content.
All these syrups contain sucrose, the main sugar molecule which must be broken down by bees into glucose and fructose in order for them to use it for energy, catalyzed by sucrase enzyme. Sucrose also forms HMF or hydroxymethylfurfural which has been found in cage studies at concentrations above 30 ppm as being lethal to bees (Jachimowicz and El Sherbiny 1975; Krainer et al. 2016).
Pollen Patties
Pollen patties are protein substitutes that can be added to hives in order to supplement brood production when natural pollen supplies run out. Made up of both sugar and protein, they aim to recreate what pollen would typically provide by acting like its equivalent source.
Studies have demonstrated that bee patties help improve consumption and brood area within colonies when fed to them, increasing both consumption and sealed brood area of their colony. They’re typically fed during late Winter/early Spring in order to stimulate brood building and increase honey yield for next season.
Pollen patties can be fed directly into a beehive by placing them directly on top bars near the center of cluster, though some beekeepers use them during warm Summer months as well. Beekeepers should proceed carefully as too much protein could have detrimental effects on colony health and its use may not even be necessary all of the time. Furthermore, timing and use must also be carefully considered; at certain points they may no longer be necessary at all.
Honey in the Comb
Honeycombs are delectable treats made of beeswax that contain raw honey. Consuming just one honeycomb is sure to fill you up quickly!
Honeycomb is not only delicious, but its sweet nectar contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids in abundance. Furthermore, its phenolic acid content – thought to prevent cancer cells and other illnesses from emerging – is high.
Regular honey sold in bear bottles has been pasteurized, which involves heating it to kill bacteria in order to preserve its texture and appearance. On the other hand, raw honey still in the comb has not been heated or filtered and thus retains many of its prebiotics, enzymes, vitamins, and phenolic compounds that help promote health benefits.
Honeycomb can make any dessert more exciting; add it to a cake, mix it into vanilla ice cream or spread it on toasty bread for a sweet surprise! Additionally, it makes an impressive cheese dip or feature on an appetizer cheese plate!
Supplemental Feeding
Even healthy colonies may need additional feedings during fall to prepare for winter weather. Offering concentrated sugar syrup will allow them to build up their stores before winter sets in.
Supplemental feedings are especially crucial in northern climates where bees struggle to store enough honey. By leaving out an increased quantity, such as 1-2 liters, your bees may receive the boost they require to endure winter successfully.
Researchers conducted one experiment to compare different syrup formulations on honey bee survival. They utilized solid patty diets of either 0.5:1 sucrose syrup with various supplements (C. creticus, P. somniferum and mixed pollen) or 1.5:1 sucrose syrup combined with these supplements for consumption rate and brood area comparison between treatment groups; consumption rates and sealed brood areas were then compared between them and consumption rates and sealed brood areas compared. Results demonstrated that 1.5:1 sucrose with feed supplement significantly increased survival days compared with its predecessor 0.5:1 predecessor, showing no significant differences.
