Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

Bee Keeping, Sugar Feeding Instructions

Unlike wasps and bumble bees, honey bee colonies survive through the winter. Thus, most activity in the bee colony during warmer months is aimed towards building up energy stores in order to survive the winter. When a beekeeper harvests honey, he must replenish the colony's energy stores in order to ensure that the colony survives the harsh winter months. This is easily accomplished through the use of a sugar solution.

Making Sugar Syrup
- The syrup consists of either one or two parts sugar to one part hot water. Be sure that the solution is cool before using it as supplemental nutrition in the bee colony as it will be too runny when still warm and can flood the hive. In the winter and early spring, a 1:1 sugar water solution should be used, as this combination assists with brood rearing, which occurs in the spring after the queen's eggs have hatched. Towards the beginning of summer and into fall, a 2:1 solution can be used, as this will assist in boosting honey stores. Either brown or white sugar can be used in the syrup solution, though brown sugar tends to be slightly more cost-effective. However, brown sugar syrup should be strained through a double layer of cheesecloth before use, and thus many beekeepers opt to use white, refined sugar purely for convenience.
Excess Syrup
- It is important to note that syrup is placed in select storage combs within the colony. If there is any left-over syrup in these combs when the honey flow begins, the pure honey will be contaminated. Thus, as soon as the honey flow begins, the storage combs that contain syrup should be removed from the hive and discarded, and feedings should cease immediately until after the honey flow ends.
Feeding Schedules
- Feedings should be scheduled around natural honey flow cycles, but as no two seasons are ever identical, it takes a few years of observation to determine any discernible pattern. A good rule of thumb to follow is that honey flow cycles generally coincide with the blossom periods for dandelion and clover, which occur from very late April to late June. However, in an area rich with apple trees, honey flows may start earlier, in mid-April. Some colonies also produce a bumper crop of honey in August or September due to the blossoming of the goldenrod at this time. Take care not to over-feed the bees during these times, as it will simply make more work for you later on down the line when you have to remove the contaminated storage combs.

Insects & Science