![]() Check on your syrup for fermentation or molding replace with fresh syrup if you notice abnormalities.Boil the water, not the syrup as it prevents the buildup of toxic compounds that can negatively impact your bees.Excess moisture in the hive can mean big trouble once you winterize Allow the solution to cool before feeding your bees.įor reference, aim to mix up at least 1-2 liters of syrup, but if your colony is really struggling, you may need to feed 5-10 liters a week until the stores improve. Once it’s just shy of boiling, take it off the heat and stir in the sugar. Heat your quantity of water on the stove in a saucepan. ![]() It doesn’t matter if you mix by weight or volume, but here’s our basic recipe for fall feeding for the bees:Ģ parts sugar (use plain cane sugar or organic cane sugar) This way, the honey bees can slurp it up and when they store it, they don’t have to beat their wings quite as much to transform it into their desired consistency. So, mix up a 2:1 ( two parts sugar to one part water ) sugar syrup. Essentially, since your bees are working hard to prep their hive for winter, you don’t want to make them work any harder than they have to. If your colony needs supplemental feeding, it’s time to mix up a fall-friendly simple syrup. If you do notice that your honey bees are not on track for a successful winter, it’s time to feed. You will replace those bars when you get ready to winterize your hive, providing your honey bees with the largest quantity of honey that you can. Keep in mind you can pull a couple of bars of honeycomb and reserve them in the Beepods Harvest Box so that you encourage your bees to keep making honey during this critical time. For reference, approximately 12 frames are equivalent to 96 pounds of honey. Bees need 60-90 pounds of honey to make it through in areas that experience true winter (ice, snow, cold). The best way to know if your bees need a helping hand is to inspect your hive. This is called a nectar dearth and it’s as dramatic as it sounds. They need lots of carbohydrates to go about their busy lives and perpetuate their numbers.Ĭhalkbrood, American Foulbrood, Varroa mites, nosema… these are all afflictions that can weaken your colony and make it harder for them to grow their numbers and keep their resources up.įall flowers are not as rich in pollen and nectar, and if you don’t consciously plant for all seasons, your bees will be left wanting. If they can’t forage as frequently as they’d like, your bees will be in a bind. Whether it’s endlessly hot and dry or there’s too much rain, weather extremes make it harder for the bees to forage. Cut yourself some slack, but be ready to give supplemental feeds to make up for it. ![]() It’s possible you accidentally took too much honey from the bees during the busy season. It’s hard to resist the sweet stuff and beekeeping requires learning and adjusting based on your unique experiences. You accidentally harvested too much honey. Let’s start by breaking down the reasons you might need to do fall feeding for your bees. We’ll walk you through the whole process! Fall feeding doesn’t have to be complicated. So, it’s vital you pay attention to signs of declining resources when you inspect your colony and be prepared to supplement. Late summer into fall is when forage availability starts to taper off, making nectar and pollen scarce. When fall hits the world of beekeeping, resource management becomes a huge priority. Mix up the right simple syrup and get your bees ready for winter. ![]()
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