Open Source Content Management

Winter Food

The quality of winter food is crucial, and the best food source for bees is honey.

Alternatives to Honey

If honey is unavailable or insufficient, one of two alternatives can be employed, depending on the season:

• In the fall, if the colony has inadequate food stores, you may feed it sugar syrup.
• If by midwinter the bees have exhausted their honey stores, feed them dry sugar or candy—something with very little moisture. This is important in order to avoid stressing the bees' digestive systems because they will not be able to take cleansing flights during very cold weather. Excess moisture will increase the hive's humidity, affecting the health of the colony and combs.

Locate Food Above the Brood Nest

When the temperature outside dips below 57°F, bees form a relatively active cluster to generate heat. At this point, the location of the food source becomes very important. Honey for winter feed must be above the brood nest because the cluster moves upward as it consumes the stores through winter. This tendency to move upward is so strong that the cluster will not move to a food store placed below, even if the colony is facing starvation.

Honey for winter feed must be above the brood nest because the cluster moves upward as it consumes the stores through the winter.