Feeding Bees
Part of Beekeeping
Bees are capable of feeding themselves when flowers are available, but a rebuilding beekeeper must know when and how to intervene with supplemental feeding. A colony that starves in early spring or during an unexpected dearth will not recover in time to produce a surplus harvest. Timely feeding keeps colonies alive through gaps in forage, supports rapid spring buildup, and can save a weakened colony that would otherwise be lost. This article covers the materials, ratios, timing, and methods for feeding bees safely and effectively.
When Bees Need Supplemental Feeding
Natural foraging provides everything a healthy colony needs when flowers are blooming. Feeding becomes necessary when:
- Winter reserves are too low: If stores weigh less than 15–20 kg for a full colony going into winter, starvation is likely before spring flowers arrive.
- Late winter / early spring starvation: Colonies exhaust stores before early nectar sources open. This is the most common cause of colony loss in temperate climates.
- Nectar dearth in summer: Extended dry spells or after major nectar flows end can leave colonies with no incoming forage for weeks.
- After swarming or splitting: A newly split colony or a swarm placed in a new hive has no stores and must be fed immediately.
- New package bees: A package installed in a hive with no drawn comb needs feeding until they can forage effectively.
- Pollen shortage: In early spring or late autumn when few plants provide pollen, young bees and brood can be malnourished even if sugar stores are adequate.
Assessing Food Stores
Before feeding, inspect the hive to quantify existing stores.
Hefting Method
With no scale available, lift one side of the hive gently to estimate weight. A full-sized hive with adequate winter stores (15–25 kg of honey) should feel very heavy — difficult to lift. A light hive risks starvation.
With a scale, weigh the full hive at the end of the summer honey harvest. Track again in late winter. A colony consumes roughly:
| Colony size | Monthly winter consumption |
|---|---|
| Small (3–4 frames of bees) | 1.0–1.5 kg/month |
| Medium (5–7 frames) | 2.0–3.0 kg/month |
| Full colony (8–10+ frames) | 3.0–5.0 kg/month |
If stores are dropping at a rate that will exhaust them before spring flowers open, feed immediately.
Frame Inspection
In a hive inspection, examine the outer frames. Honey stores appear as capped cells with a slightly convex cappings profile (unlike the flat or sunken cappings of brood). In a Langstroth or similar box hive, aim for at least 6–8 frames of capped honey going into winter.
Sugar Syrup: The Primary Emergency Feed
Sugar syrup made from refined or unrefined cane or beet sugar dissolved in water is the standard emergency feed for carbohydrate (energy) replacement. It does not replace honey nutritionally in all respects but provides sufficient energy to prevent starvation.
Syrup Ratios
The ratio of sugar to water by weight determines the syrup concentration:
| Ratio (sugar:water by weight) | Sugar % | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:2 (thin) | 33% | Spring stimulation, encouraging brood rearing | Thin syrup mimics dilute nectar, stimulates the queen |
| 1:1 (medium) | 50% | General emergency feeding during active season | Most commonly used ratio |
| 2:1 (thick) | 67% | Autumn stores building before winter | Bees convert to stores with less water evaporation needed |
Making syrup: Heat water to near boiling. Remove from heat. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Allow to cool before feeding — hot syrup can damage bees if fed immediately. Never boil the syrup with sugar in it; this causes partial caramelization (forming hydroxymethylfurfural) which is mildly toxic to bees at high concentrations.
Use Plain White Sugar When Possible
Refined white cane or beet sugar (sucrose) is the safest choice. Brown sugar, raw sugar, and molasses contain impurities (mineral salts, non-sucrose sugars) that bees struggle to digest, causing dysentery, particularly dangerous in winter when bees cannot fly to defecate. If only unrefined sugar is available, use it — starvation is worse than impurities — but switch to refined sugar as soon as possible.
Alternative Carbohydrate Sources
When refined sugar is unavailable:
| Alternative | Viability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raw honey (from same apiary) | Excellent | Best possible food; risk of disease transfer from unknown source honey |
| Strained fruit juice (high-sugar) | Short-term emergency only | Ferments quickly; remove feeder daily |
| Diluted jam or fruit preserves | Short-term emergency | Only if no mold; high in natural sugars |
| Grain syrups (rice, corn, sorghum) | Limited | Contains non-sucrose sugars; higher dysentery risk |
| Tree sap (birch, maple) | Very limited | Too dilute; bees would need to process enormous volumes |
Never Feed Honey from Unknown Sources
Honey from unknown hives or purchased from sources outside your apiary may carry American Foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae) spores. This is the most destructive bacterial disease of bees, and feeding infected honey introduces the spores directly into the colony. Only feed honey from your own healthy, disease-free hives.
Pollen Substitutes and Supplements
Sugar syrup provides carbohydrate but no protein. When natural pollen is unavailable (early spring before flowers open, late autumn, or during summer dearth), provide a pollen supplement to prevent nurse bee malnutrition.
Pollen Supplement vs. Pollen Substitute
- Supplement: Contains real bee pollen plus added nutrients (soy flour, brewer’s yeast, egg powder, etc.)
- Substitute: Contains no real pollen; composed entirely of alternative protein sources
Supplements are more effective than pure substitutes because bees recognize and preferentially consume real pollen. Where bee pollen can be collected and stored from earlier in the season (see bee-pollen article), use it as the core of any supplement.
Making a Pollen Supplement Patty
A protein patty that bees will consume readily:
Recipe (makes approximately 500 g of patty):
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Dried bee pollen (ground fine) | 150 g | Attractant + protein |
| Full-fat soy flour (roasted) | 150 g | Protein base |
| Brewer’s yeast (dried) | 50 g | B vitamins + protein |
| Thick sugar syrup (2:1) | 150 g | Binding, carbohydrate |
Mix dry ingredients first, then add syrup gradually, kneading until the mixture reaches a firm, dough-like consistency — similar to shortbread dough. It should hold its shape without crumbling but not be sticky. Adjust syrup quantity as needed.
If bee pollen is unavailable, the soy flour and brewer’s yeast alone form an adequate short-term substitute. Bees are less enthusiastic about it but will consume it when protein-deprived.
Placing Patties
- Shape the patty into a flat cake, 1–2 cm thick, approximately the size of a sheet of paper.
- Wrap in wax paper or leaf with a hole cut in the centre (bees enter through the hole to consume from beneath).
- Place directly on top of the frames over the cluster.
- Check every 3–5 days. Replace when consumed or when mold appears.
Patties in Winter
Place patties in early spring when brood rearing resumes but before pollen flows open — typically 4–6 weeks before the first expected bloom. Do not place patties in the depth of winter when the cluster is tight and not actively rearing brood; the bees will not move to consume them and the patty may mold.
Feeder Types
Sugar syrup must be presented in a way that prevents drowning and does not attract robbing from other hives.
Top Feeder (Inverted Jar or Bucket)
Fill a jar or bucket with syrup. Cover with a lid perforated with 8–10 small holes (1–2 mm diameter). Invert over the hive top directly above the cluster. Bees access syrup through the holes from below without being able to enter in large numbers. The inverted seal prevents spillage (surface tension holds syrup in the holes).
Jar capacity: 0.5–2 litre. Refill every 1–3 days depending on colony intake.
Frame Feeder (Division Board Feeder)
A frame-sized container placed inside the hive in place of one of the outer frames. Fill with syrup; include a float (a piece of wood, cork, or bundled straw) on the surface for bees to stand on and prevent drowning. Provides large volumes with minimal disturbance — the hive does not need to be opened to refill (if a port is included in the design).
Entrance Feeder (Boardman Feeder)
A small jar inverted into a wooden or plastic tray that slides into the hive entrance. Simplest to make and refill. Disadvantages: small capacity; inverted jar is visible from outside and may attract robber bees from neighbouring hives; poor choice in summer during a dearth when robbing pressure is high.
Open Feeding (Emergency Situations Only)
Place syrup in a bucket with floats at a distance from the hives (at least 10 metres). All colonies in the area will find and share it. Advantages: no feeder construction needed. Disadvantages: uncontrolled; promotes robbing behaviour between colonies; can spread disease if colonies are mixed; wasps and other insects also feed.
Use open feeding only when equipment is unavailable and starvation is imminent. Stop as soon as individual feeders can be constructed.
Seasonal Feeding Calendar
| Season | Feeding type | Reason | Syrup ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late winter (before first bloom) | Emergency syrup if stores low | Prevent starvation | 1:1 or 2:1 |
| Early spring | Stimulative thin syrup + pollen patty | Encourage brood buildup | 1:2 (thin) |
| Spring (main flow) | None | Colony self-sufficient | — |
| Summer dearth | Monitor; feed if stores drop | Bridge gap between flows | 1:1 |
| Late summer / early autumn | Heavy feeding to build winter stores | Ensure 15–20 kg going into winter | 2:1 (thick) |
| Autumn (after stores confirmed) | None | Colony self-sufficient if stores adequate | — |
| Winter | Emergency only (fondant or candy board) | Cannot feed liquid in very cold weather | See below |
Winter Emergency Feeding
In very cold conditions (below 5°C), bees cannot consume liquid syrup — they cluster for warmth and do not move to liquid feeders. The solution is candy board or bee fondant:
Simple candy board recipe:
- Dissolve 4 kg sugar in 500 mL water at 115°C (thread stage — syrup forms a thread when a small amount is dropped into cold water).
- Remove from heat. Allow to cool to 50°C, stirring constantly to prevent crystallization into large crystals.
- Pour into a shallow frame or tray lined with wax paper.
- Allow to solidify into a firm slab.
Place the fondant slab directly on top of the cluster, above the frames. Bees eat upward through it as needed. One slab of 1–2 kg provides several weeks of emergency carbohydrate in cold conditions.
Feeding Bees Summary
Supplement feed when colony stores drop below 15–20 kg before winter, during spring buildup, after swarming or splitting, or during summer dearths. Use thin syrup (1:2) for spring stimulation, medium (1:1) for emergency feeding, and thick (2:1) for building autumn stores. Always dissolve sugar fully without boiling. Use only plain white sugar or honey from your own healthy hives — never honey from unknown sources. Supplement protein with pollen patties (ground bee pollen + soy flour + brewer’s yeast + thick syrup) placed over the brood cluster in early spring before pollen flows begin. In winter cold, use fondant rather than liquid syrup. Monitor stores monthly by hefting or frame inspection, and feed before the colony is in crisis rather than as a last resort.