bee-keeperFeeding is one of the most powerful, but also most often misused, tools in beekeeping. Well-measured feeding saves a colony from starvation and drives its development; the wrong feeding taints the honey, triggers robbing and weakens the bees. The key is to understand why and when you feed, rather than feeding “just in case” — so this guide covers the three real reasons to feed, the recipes and doses, how much a colony actually needs for winter, and the mistakes that cost beekeepers colonies and reputations.
When feeding is really needed
Three typical situations:
- Starvation — when the colony doesn't have enough stores (early spring, rainy summers, after harvest)
- Stimulating development — early spring feeding so the queen starts brood sooner before the main flow
- Winter preparation — topping up winter stores in autumn to the required weight
If none of these applies, don't feed. A colony on a decent flow neither needs nor benefits from syrup — and every feeding carries a small risk of robbing and of sugar ending up where honey should be.
Syrup: ratios, recipes and doses
You make syrup from plain white table sugar and water, and the ratio depends on the goal:
- Stimulative syrup 1:1 (1 kg of sugar dissolved in 1 litre of water) — thin, it mimics a flow and stimulates the queen to lay; given early in spring in small, frequent doses of about 0.3–0.5 litres every two to three days
- Winter syrup 2:1 (2 kg of sugar per 1 litre of water) — thick, the bees process and store it with little effort; given in autumn in larger feeds of 2–3 litres at a time
Dissolve the sugar in hot water and stir — but never boil the syrup, because caramelized (burnt) sugar is harmful to bees. Use only white sugar: brown sugar and anything with impurities causes dysentery in winter. Always give syrup in the evening and in a closed feeder inside the hive, so you don't trigger robbing between colonies.
How much does a colony need for winter?
In a temperate climate a wintering colony needs roughly 15–20 kg of capped stores, and more where winters are long — local beekeepers and your association know the number for your area. Judge it by weight, not by looking: heft the back of each hive or weigh it in early autumn, and feed the difference while the weather is still warm. The bees need time and warmth to invert the syrup and cap it — feed too late and the uncapped feed stays damp, can ferment, and causes dysentery. As a rule of thumb, finish autumn feeding while daytime temperatures are still comfortably in double digits.
Fondant (sugar dough)
Fondant is a firm mixture (usually powdered sugar with honey or inverted syrup). It's used in winter and early spring when it's too cold for liquid syrup — the bees take it slowly, and it doesn't stimulate brood as strongly as syrup does. Place a slab of 1–2 kg directly above the brood, close to the clustered bees, and check it on mild days: a light colony can take a kilogram surprisingly fast. Late winter — February and March in the northern hemisphere — is when most starvation happens, because brood rearing restarts and consumption jumps just when stores are lowest.
Pollen and protein
Sugar covers energy, but brood rearing also needs protein — pollen. In most yards nature provides it: willow, hazel and early spring flowers. A pollen or protein patty makes sense only when the colony is rearing brood and the weather blocks foraging for days, or in areas genuinely poor in early pollen. Stop as soon as fresh pollen comes in — the bees prefer the real thing, and an untouched patty just grows mould.
Big mistakes in feeding
- Feeding during a flow or before harvest — sugar syrup ends up in the honey and lowers its quality
- Giving syrup in the open or during the day — it triggers robbing and fighting between colonies
- Feeding weak colonies without solving the cause (queenlessness, disease) — you only postpone the problem
- Boiling the syrup or using anything but white sugar
- Never feed bees honey of unknown origin — it can spread brood diseases, including American foulbrood
Feeding without starting a robbery
Robbing starts in minutes and can end a weak colony in a day. Feed all colonies in the apiary on the same evening, use closed feeders, wipe up every drip of syrup, and narrow the entrances of weaker colonies so they can defend themselves. If a dearth is on and bees are testing every hive, feed less, later in the evening, and check the next morning.
The clean-honey rule
Sugar feeding and real honey must not mix. Don't feed a colony you'll soon harvest from, and make sure autumn feed goes into the brood chamber, not into supers. The simplest insurance is a written record: in a hive inspection diary like bee-keeper you log every feeding — type, amount and date, per hive, even offline in the yard — so through the season you clearly separate stores from honey for sale and know exactly how much each colony received and when.
Frequently asked questions
Can I feed my bees honey from the shop?
No. Honey of unknown origin can carry spores of brood diseases such as American foulbrood, and feeding it is one of the classic ways the disease spreads. Feed white sugar as syrup or fondant, or honey frames from your own healthy colonies.
When should autumn feeding be finished?
While the days are still warm enough for the bees to process and cap the feed — as a rule of thumb, while daytime temperatures are comfortably in double digits. Late, uncapped feed stays damp and can cause dysentery in winter.
When do I use 1:1 and when 2:1 syrup?
Thin 1:1 syrup in spring, in small frequent doses, to stimulate the queen to lay. Thick 2:1 syrup in autumn, in large feeds, to build winter stores fast with minimal work for the bees.
How do I know a colony is running out of food?
Heft the hive: lift it gently from the back — a light hive feels alarmingly easy to tip. In winter, bees found head-down in empty cells are the classic sign of starvation; give fondant directly over the cluster immediately.