Winter Feeding: If you haven’t started to feed yet, now is a good time to start. We started feeding our bees selectively on Saturday but by Sunday switched to putting a feeder on every hive we have. Some are just jar feeders, but most are full hive top feeders taking about 3 gallons of syrup. That usually equates to 30 plus pounds of liquid in one fill. The strong hives have unloaded feeders in 2 days, so we filled them again and after evaporation those hives will have over 50 pounds of liquid added to their stores. We have been adding HIVE ALIVE to all our fall feeding to prevent fermentation and for its vitamin pack. It is available in the shop.

The feeding strategy for the fall is to feed them hard for 3 to 7 days and then take the feeders off when they stop taking feed for a day or so. At this point they generally will fill all their open cells with wet sugar water. The bees will start to evaporate creating empty cells to form their winter cluster. Bees need empty cells to form their wither cluster.

Sugar Water Should be mixed at 2:1 at this time of year. 2 parts Sugar to 1-part water (4 pound bag of sugar to 32 oz water) sometimes a touch more water is needed to get it all dissolved.  Do not boil, just use straight hot tap water.

It is very difficult to fall feed the volume necessary with a jar feeder unless you diligently refill every day.  You would have to feed 6-2quart jars or 12 one-quart jars to equal one hive top feeder.  Do not feed for weeks on end or you will fill up all their cells and not leave enough room for them to create empty cells for their winter cluster.  Also, this is a timely task, it needs to be done now to give the bees the month of October to dry and cure the sugar water into stores.  If it does not get cured to low moisture, then it could ferment causing a problem for your bees in the middle of the winter.