| Sugar Syrup Recipes for Feeding Honey Bees |
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| The bees' own honey is the best food for them, but you can feed them sugar syrup if you need to. The references for this page include the following: ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture: see section Feeding Bees, pages 247-255 Beekeeping for Dummies: pages 91, 131, 137 The Hive and the Honey Bee: see section Feeding Bees, pages 635-642 Hirschbach Apiary: http://hirschbachapiary.com/TBH_Spring_Management.aspx |
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| Sugar syrup can be made in three different formulas, each has its own special purpose and is used at a specific time of the year. 1:2 this formula is a very light syrup, it is made using one part of sugar to two parts of water. For example, 1 cup sugar to 2 cups of water. It is used in late winter and early spring to stimulate the queen to lay eggs. 1:1 this formula is a medium weight syrup, it is made using one part of sugar to one part of water. For example, 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. It is used as an artificial nectar to feed brood larvae in spring and summer or to get the bees to draw comb. 2:1 this formula is a very heavy syrup, it is made using two parts of sugar to one part of water. For example, 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. It is used in fall or early winter as a honey substitute to feed your bees. |
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| This next bit is what I've been saying for years - it is from the Hirschbach Apiary site: "To properly manage your hives you need to be an expert on the local flora and fauna. Know what is blooming and when. What are significant nectar sources? When are the flows and how long do they last. All these factors are what drive the hive...When the temps hit the 50's and the last frost has come, you want to make that first inspection you have been dying to make since you saw the first bee emerge. During this inspection you want to assess the condition of the colony. Make sure there are eggs and make sure there are enough bees to cover the entire brood nest. If there are not enough bees or the hive seems weak they may need a feeding jump start. Honey from a trusted source preferably their own is the best, but if you don't have that sugar syrup is the next best." You need to know what you have right around your hives plantwise - when they bloom and what the bees get from them, nectar or pollen or both, and the quality of what they bring back to the hive from those plants. Beekeeping is not easy, there is alot of work and learning to do to do it properly. the WebWitch |
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| WebWitch's note - hey, ya'll, I measured this out when I made up my syrup, there are 10 cups of sugar in a 5 pound bag. |