When keeping bees, it is inevitable that at some point you may need to feed the colony due to external conditions such as drought, lack of nectar, or to supplement food sources during the winter. However, feeding bees can be a challenge since there are no hard and fast rules as to the appropriate time, amount, and duration. Also feeding the colony may has some unintended consequences.
Understand there is no standard answer whether you should or should not be feeding your bees. The answer can vary depending on the geographic location of your hive, the weather, and most importantly the perceived health of your hive.
If food stores fall low for a hive, it may not be the fault of the colony but rather due to external conditions that are not favorable. So often times a beekeeper may have to step in and supplement nutrition, often in the form of sugar water and pollen to stave off starvation within the hive.
When feeding bees, the beekeeper is generally feeding them sugar syrup and has the choice of a few different type of feeders to consider. The Open-Air feeder is one that is left outside the nest and is probably the least favorable choice as it can attract all sorts of unwanted wildlife and also bees from other colonies with diseases may avail themselves to the feeder and spread their parasites between the colonies. Probably the most popular feeder is the Entrance feeder as it is easy to use. However, this feeder has drawbacks such as seasonality and the fact food located near the hive entrance may induce robbing form other hives. Another choice Division board feeder can hold lots of liquid internally but can be prone to leakage, and often some of the bees drown in the process of self-feeding. Internal Top feeders can hold lots of syrup too. and are popular with some, but this style feeder can promote mold growth within the hive. External Top feeders are inverted containers that lie over an entrance hole in the inner cover. These type hives are convenient, but you need an extra super to create room for the container. Commercial beekeepers often employ this method. Finally, there is the Baggie feeder which is really a do it yourself method. The idea is to partially fill a Ziplock back with sugar water, place it on top of the frames, then use a razor to slit the top slightly in three small areas, letting the bees discover the liquid food source.
Most beekeepers may consider feeding bees when installing a new package of bees. The bees are in their new home without food and could quickly starve if initial foraging is not successful. Therefore it is not uncommon to feed the new package with sugar water to get the hive established. Providing a food source at the beginning will jump start the hive and help the bees with their first mission of drawing out comb. The early stages of the season are critical to hive survival, so offering an assist is warranted by the beekeeper. The duration of feeding typically lasts for two to three weeks.
The early sugar water feeding should be supplemented with some protein in the form of pollen. Pollen patties are popular choices for this purpose.
When feeding sugar water, the recommended mixology is as follows with respect to the sugar to water ratio:
- Spring – March – May: light syrup in a 1:2 fashion – stimulate egg laying and comb buildout
- Summer Jun – August: 1:1 fashion – used to feed brood larvae and buildout comb
- Fall – Oct. – Nov. 2:1 fashion – honey substitute
Most seasoned beekeepers discourage feeding except to establish a new package or nuc, and then for only a short time. Feeding completed outside of this is just to supplement nutritional needs if the hive appears low on food sources such as during a drought when foraging is difficult.
