A simple syrup of granulated sugar dissolved in water is the staple food for honey bees. The bees like it because it mimics plant nectar in taste and provides a convenient way for them to store liquid food over winter.
The ratios of sugar to water used for feeding vary with the season. A light syrup in spring stimulates brood rearing, whereas a heavier one in autumn is easier for bees to process.
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1. The ratio
When feeding syrup, there are several different ratios that can be used depending on the time of year. This is important as the right ratio can help stimulate bees early in the season and also during the winter when they need extra weight to survive.
One of the most popular is a light syrup which can be fed in spring and summer to stimulate comb building and brood rearing. This is usually made with a ratio of 1 part sugar to 1 part water by weight or volume.
These sugar syrups are all granulated sugar dissolved in water and can mimic the natural nectar of flowers, but there is no guarantee that they are nutritionally the same or have any particular benefits for the bees. For example, the amount of sugar in nectar can vary from morning to evening, on a windy day or sunny one, and even within blooms of the same plant.
2. Time of year
Sugar syrup is a great tool to support your bees, especially early in the season when new colonies are being established or weather patterns are limiting foraging activity. It is also a good idea to feed your bees during the precarious period between mid-February and late April, when the weather can cause even strong colonies to starve.
During this time, light syrup can stimulate the queen to lay more eggs and help the bees draw out foundation faster. The honeybees can then start storing nectar for winter.
The best type of sugar for the purpose is granulated white cane or beet sugar. Avoid brown or molasses sugars, since these contain impurities that can irritate the bees’ stomachs and cause dysentery.
3. Type of feeder
During the winter, bees are not foraging as much and need a supplementary source of food. This can be a mixture of dry sugar and light syrup fed to them at specific times of the year.
Various types of feeder are available to use, including contact and rapid feeders. These look like a bucket with a mesh circle in the lid and allow bees to access the syrup safely.
These feeders are cheap and easy to use but require refilling regularly. A quart container should be enough for most hives.
Standard syrup mix is 1:1 (one part sugar to one part water) but I prefer a higher ratio to keep better and be easier to dissolve, particularly in the spring. You can use this mix as a one to two mixture for stimulating brood rearing in spring or autumn, but remember that it is an artificial nectar so does not have the same properties as real honey.
4. Temperature
Bees have a range of temperatures that they prefer to live in. This range is referred to as their “optimal zone.” All species have their own optimal zone and at either end of it they will experience stress that can make them weaker or die off.
In the hive, this optimal temperature is maintained by collective control of the cluster temperature. This is accomplished by the bees themselves, as they bring in water from outside and evaporate it through wing fanning.
They also heat up the center of the cluster by vibration of their abdomens and flexing of their wings. This enables the bees to keep the brood inside warm enough for it to develop.
As the weather becomes colder, the bees will move closer together to conserve that heat. This is a good thing, because it will help to lower the hive temperature.
