When it comes to feeding bees in winter, you’ll want to consider a number of factors. You’ll need to make sure that the bees are getting the nutrition that they need, and you’ll also need to be sure that you’re doing your part to avoid the spread of diseases. Here are a few ways to keep your bees happy and healthy in the cold weather.
Contents
Honey
When it comes to feeding bees in the winter, it’s best to provide them with honey. Having stored honey in their hive is a great way to make sure they have enough to survive until spring. The amount of honey they will need will depend on their geographic location. In some areas, bees may need as much as 90 pounds of honey.
If you live in a warm climate, you can offer your bees liquid feed. However, it’s important to avoid feeding your bees with liquid feed when the temperature is cold. Liquid feed can cause bees to become sick and die. During the winter, bees aren’t able to digest liquid feed.
Honey is the easiest way to feed bees in the winter. Honey is packed with sugar and water. Bees will only use as much of it as they need.
Another option is to feed sugar syrup. Sugar syrup is made by mixing two parts of sugar to one part of water. This mixture is then heated and simmered.
Bee candy
If your bees are in need of nourishment this winter, bee candy is the perfect solution. It is a solid form of sugar that incorporates a small amount of water, making it easier for bees to consume.
You can make your own bee candy or purchase it. Both are easy to make. Before you start, make sure you have the appropriate tools. This includes a candy thermometer, a cookie pan lined with wax paper and a dry pollen substitute.
Once you have the ingredients, prepare a basic recipe. Then, you’ll need to mix your sugar with a little water and vinegar. For instance, you can use a combination of eight pounds of granulated sugar and 1.5 cups of water and vinegar. Be sure to follow the directions closely.
Depending on the temperature outside, you may have to add a candy board to your hive. A bee board provides a secure and accessible way for bees to access the sugar.
Mountain camp
In the winter, bees need food to survive. It is important to provide bees with the proper food as soon as possible.
There are three basic types of winter feed. The first is high carbohydrate fondant, also known as a candy board. This is hard to make at home, but can be purchased.
Another type is dry sugar, which can be fed directly from the hive. Dry sugar will not freeze, but it will pull moisture from the air.
If the weather is too cold for syrup feeding, try Mountain camp. With this method, you place newspaper on top of the frames and then sprinkle sugar on top. When the temperatures warm up, the bees will eat the sugar and leave the newspaper in the hive.
Using this method, you should not open your hives until the daytime temperatures are above 50 degrees. Be careful with the amount of sugar that you add.
Dry sugar
Dry sugar is the best bee food to feed during the winter months. It is easy to provide, and can attract bees from nearby colonies.
You can also use it as an emergency food. You can make a bee candy by incorporating a small amount of water into dry sugar. If you have leftovers, dissolve it in water to make a spring syrup.
Another good option is to use honey. Honey contains nutrients that keep your colony healthy.
If you want to use granulated sugar, you can pour it on top of a sheet of newspaper. Some bees will ignore the paper, but others will chew it up.
Sugar bricks are another method of feeding dry sugar. These are made from white granulated sugar. They are easy to slip under the inner cover of a hive.
The Mountain camp method of feeding bees is another way to provide dry sugar during the winter. It requires a simple recipe.
