Winter Feeding for Bees

Winter Feeding for Bees

Sugar Syrup

Generally there are two types of feed, a thick syrup for autumn feeding which will be stored more or less immediately and thin syrup for spring or stimulative feeding (i.e. when raising queens) which is to be consumed without storing.

(You can also use invert sugar which closely resembles honey, see below)

The following are the recommended consistencies for sugar syrup.

Thick (for autumn feeding)

1kg sugar to 500ml of water. (2lb sugar to 1pt of water).

Thin (for spring stimulation or pollination feeding).

1kg sugar to 1lt water (2lb sugar to 2pt’s water)

Invert Sugar

When bees collect nectar, they invert the sugars in the nectar by adding enzymes. The advantage of feeding invert sugar to bees is that it breaks down the sucrose into glucose and fructose, which are the two main components of honey. Since it closely resembles honey by being made up of the same two components, it is more easily digested by the bees and larvae and can be more readily consumed. Unlike regular sugar syrup, invert syrup is less likely to crystallize as it retains moisture for longer when used in pollen patties. It also helps to prevent mould and robbing is less prevalent when invert sugar is used for feeding.

Invert sugar is easy to make ( see recipe below) by simply adding some cream of tartar, lemon juice or dried active bakers yeast to the sugar syrup.

When making this invert sugar make sure that you boil the mixture for at least 20 minutes to invert as much of the sucrose as possible. Be sure to stir the mixture frequently and do not allow it to sit as it will caramelize in the bottom of the pan. Invert sugar has a shelf life of about six months.

Recipe for Invert Sugar:

Ingredients:

3.5 litres water

3.5 kg sugar

1.5 tsp of cream of tartar

Method:

1. Put the water into large saucepan and bring to boil.

2. Slowly add the sugar to the water and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.

3. Add the cream of tartar and stir into the mixture.

Honey bees winter well on stores derived from sugar syrup as these stores will not granulate.

The syrup must be fed early enough, before the end of September, to allow the bees to get rid of the excess moisture prior to the first frost of winter.

The bees will pack the stores around the brood nest where the bees will cluster.

The queen excluder and the supers must be removed to alleviate the risk of them becoming contaminated with the sugar syrup.

Feeding Hard Candy (Fondant)

Some beekeepers prefer to feed hard candy instead of sugar syrup, as it minimizes the risk of moisture building up inside the hive.

You can either buy fondant from a bakery or if you prefer, make your own.

Recipe for Hard Candy

Ingredients

5kg white granulated sugar

.5 kg honey

1 litre water

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Method

1. Heat the water and add the sugar and honey. Stir continuously until the sugar and honey have dissolved completely.
2. Heat the mixture to 114 deg C but do not continue to stir. Once it has reached the desired temperature, remove from heat and add the cream of tartar.
3. Leave the mixture to cool to 51 deg C and stir briskly until the mixture becomes cloudy.
4. Pour the mixture into a rectangular cake box or specially prepared candy feeder box. Once the mixture becomes solid it can be wrapped in waxed paper and placed inside the hive.