Some Thoughts on Feeding Honeybees

When we harvest our honey, we always leave some honey so the bees will have enough to last them until there is a nectar flow again. Its a guess as to how much is the right amount, and sometimes we guess incorrectly. To determine if they are running low on honey, we simply lift up the hive partway from the back to see how much it weighs. Its important to do this after you have left the honey, that way you know what it weighs full of honey for the bees…and when it gets dangerously empty. Honeybees with no food die quickly!

We feed our bees sugar water when they are low on honey. The ratio 1 part sugar to 1 part warm water, and thoroughly mix this until all the sugar is dissolved. This is the normal feeding rate when there isn’t any nectar available, and isn’t in the immediate future. However, if you are feeding bees in spring right before there is going to be a major flower bloom and a bunch of nectar for them to forage, then the mixture gets less concentrated, to 1 part sugar to 2 parts water. This gets the bees thinking that there is a nectar flow happening, and stimulates the queen to start laying eggs, giving you a slight jump on the season with a more highly populated hive!

We do not use corn syrup. Many people do, but we have gotten very good results with the sugar mixes and plan to stick with those.

To feed the bees, there are several different feeding systems. One of the easiest is a wooden or metal piece that you can buy that holds a mason jar. You will need to lightly puncture the metal lid using an eight penny nail or equivalent, with 15-20 holes to let the syrup flow out. This type of feeder goes directly in front of the hive opening so the bees can get the sugar water without leaving the hive. This is good for cold weather and small operations, plus it cuts down on the possibility of wasps and other honeybees raiding the food source that is intended for a specific hive. There are also in-hive feeders that you can buy. Sometimes during the summer if we need to feed several hives, we simply fill a clean plastic chicken waterer with the sugar/water mixture, and put marbles in the drinking part so the bees have something to land on and stand on when they feed and so fewer accidental drowning happen. We put this off the ground near the hives...if the bees are hungry, they quickly find it.

If you take care of your bees, they will take care of you!