“When do I have to feed the bees and what do I use?” That is a question that is common among the new beekeepers. The answer is simple but the application is somewhat different. When to feed is when there is no honey or pollen left in the hive. Some of the beekeepers take all the honey that is not in the brood super (box) away and sell it. Then they get corn syrup or mix sugar with water and make sugar syrup for feed. In the fall and winter, is the time for feeding. You can lift the back of the hive and if it is heavy, then you don’t need to feed. If the hive is light, then you need to feed your syrup. Once you start feeding, you need to keep it up throughout the winter until the bees start collecting nectar and pollen.

To mix sugar and water, you need to fill a container with sugar then add hot water and fill up to where the sugar line was before adding the water. That will make a 1:1 ratio of syrup. That is a good sustaining syrup until the latter part of January. That is when you need fill the container half way with sugar and add enough water to fill the container up. That is approximately 1:2 ratio and will simulate thin nectar and cause the bees to kick start the egg laying and brood raising. It tricks the bee into thinking that the honey flow is already here and they need lots of foragers.

Now I have described the carbohydrates, but that is only half of the food chain. The bees also need protein. If they do not have any pollen, then they will not make babies. The babies need 10% carbohydrates and 90% protein. The pollen is the protein. You may have to feed a pollen substitute. This can be bought from a bee supplier. Since I have never had to feed protein, I cannot tell you how to do it. However, I have made some fall splits and the bees will need help, so I ordered some Bee Pro and will feed it this year. I will tell you how I did it in a later post.

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to start cleaning some of your equipment and replacing the foundation. Also it would be a good time to paint your empty boxes so you can be ready for the Spring. It will be here before you know it. When it gets too cold to work outside, then read, read, read.