Feeding Bees in Fall
The colorful changing leaves provide a signal to beekeepers that it may be time to consider feeding bees for Fall. If you are lucky, the hives will not need any help from you – they are on track with food storage for the cold months ahead. In this guide, I will share tips on how to determine if Fall bee feeding is necessary for your apiary, as well as, when to start and when to stop.

As a Master Beekeeper, I understand the importance of feeding bees – when they need it. When it will make a difference. Beekeepers do debate the issue saying you should not feed. Should only the strongest survive – even when it is not their fault that food stores are low due to drought etc? I don’t think so.
Why Fall Bee Feeding May Be Necessary
Healthy honey bee colonies are more than capable of getting ready for the cold season. But, nature can be harsh. Those without enough food stored (honey) and pollen (bee bread) will not survive. They will not:
- generate heat to keep warm and survive
- keep developing bee brood warm and alive
Reasons for Low Food Stores
Are bees lazy? No, actually we use numerous bee quotes to praise their work ethic. But, there are many factors that contribute to hungry bees:
- lack of forage (nectar to gather)
- bad weather (prevents flying)
- unhealthy colonies
- greedy beekeepers
Plants may bloom and still not provide nectar or pollen- this is called a nectar dearth.
Weeks of poor weather conditions affects foraging. Honey bees will not fly on rainy days – or at least not as well. This causes a delay stocking all the resources bees collect for the colony (nectar, pollen, propolis etc.)
Late Fall swarming can leave a healthy colony with low food reserves. Those leaving fill up first and the reduced work force left behind means too few workers to build back the colony.
Health affects colony vitality too. If the beekeeper has failed to control varroa mites (by not performing mite treatments when needed) a colony suffers in many ways.
Signs Your Beehives Need Supplemental Feeding
Routine hive inspections are important – even as we move into the slower time of year. There are 2 situations that you may observe in late Summer that are cause for concern.
- low population with little brood
- little stored honey
Both of these can be a cause for concern and a justification for implementing some fall bee feeding before the weather turns cold.

Timing Fall Feeding for Honey Bees
Giving advice on timing is always difficult in beekeeping. We all live in very different climates and even within one bee yard – each hive is different.
First, let’s consider the term “Fall.” For humans, this term denotes the time beginning in the month of September. On the honey bee calendar, they begin to prepare for Fall much sooner.
Do you live in an area that naturally has a true fall nectar flow. I do not. Therefore my Fall bee feeding efforts being in late August – early September.
In South Carolina, if the colonies do not have enough honey stored by the second week of September-I feed. This gives me about 1 month before our average first frost date to help them get ready.
Normally, the colonies may only need a little boost of a few gallons of 2:1 sugar water to top off their own food stores. This is ideal.
In general, count back about 4 weeks from your first frost date and address food storage issues as needed. It takes more than a few days for your bees to turn nectar (or sugar water) into honey (or a honey substitute).
Types of Feed for Fall
Feeding bees sugar water is the most common method of providing fast nutrition to bees. Different ratios are used for different goals.
If you need to:
- top off existing food stores – feed 2:1 syrup
- build colony population, then focus on food storage – feed 1:1 then switch to 2:1

Sugar Water Ratio 2:1
Any hives with a decent population and low honey stores (or well on track to be ready) should be fed 2:1 sugar water. This is 2 parts sugar mixed with 1 part water. (2 cups sugar – 1 cup water).
Feeding bees in the fall is best done inside the hive. Everyone is hungry this time of year. Be sure to reduce hive entrances to discourage robbing bees from other hives.
If you must practice open feeding (bucket feeder, etc) have the station far away from your hives. If a lot of fighting is present, you may need more than 1 feeding station.
This is not the most economical strategy, as you will be feeding every wasp and yellow jacket in the area too-but it is better than having colonies starving.

1:1 Sugar Syrup to Build Population
In regions with late Summer drought, the colony may reduce or temporarily stop rearing brood. This does not mean that you have a problem with your queen bee.
The bees are simply adjusting their operation plan to fit the resources available. If this continues for too long, colony population can seem rather sparse.
With cold weather still weeks away and at least a moderate amount of honey stores in the hive, I may feed 1:1 sugar syrup (half sugar – half water) for a few weeks (ideally 3+).
This gets those queens laying again. I can usually see results in a week of feeding. By then, some of the nectar rich Fall flowers for bees may be in bloom. Then I can switch the supplement to a 2:1 ratio.
How Much is Enough?
A common question at local beekeeping association meetings – “How much food do my bees need?”. This is difficult to answer.
Honey bees living in Montana may be the same as bees living in Florida – but their winter food needs are very different.
In most locations, a hive consists of at least 2 boxes (mainly brood – mainly food). The “food box” for the bees should be full of honey before cold weather arrives. The size of that food box will depend on your local climate.
Unless you live in the deep South, one deep hive body (brood chamber) is not enough room for bees, brood nest and food storage.
Continue to feed your fall colonies until they have enough “honey” stored for winter – or they quit taking the syrup.
You should not be feeding liquid sugar water to bees in very late fall or once cold truly arrives to stay. This can cause too much moisture inside the hive.
Monitoring and Adjusting
Feeding is a good tool in honey bee management but it is not always the answer. It should not be done blindly. Don’t assume – check the food reserves of your colonies.
What about once the cold is here and your bees are not ready? Feeding bees in winter requires different feeding strategies and should not be the norm.
Hopefully, you do such a good job early on that winterizing your beehives will be easy.
If you feel that your hives may be low on stored pollen – consider making some pollen patties for your bees. But, don’t put them in there too early as Small Hive Beetles love them.
Precautions & Considerations
It is truly disheartening when I “think” I have done best for my bees and yet they still die. But, this does happen.
My climate is relatively mild. Freezing temps are common with a few nights of single digits. A healthy bee colony can survive cold temperatures with ease as long as they have honey stores within reach.
That term “within reach” is very important. Your colonies can starve to death with a full box of honey on top of the hive. If the bee cluster is in the box below and unable to move up, they will freeze on the comb.
This is an extremely frustrating situation that thankfully does not occur often – but it can happen. While we can not completely control what the bees choose to do, we can make sure they have the resources needed.
FAQs
If natural nectar is scarce, feeding a colony in late Summer can encourage them to raise healthy fat bees for the long cold months – and then to store food.
It is best to finish feeding liquids (sugar water) several weeks before true cold temperatures arrives.
A lack of fresh bee eggs can be a sign of reduced available nectar but there are other possibilities too. Feeding the colony 1:1 sugar water for about 7 days should encourage her to start laying-if lack of food is the problem.
Absolutely, feeding while requeening a hive is often a good strategy no matter the season.
A Final Word
Most beekeepers will find themselves needing to feed bee colonies in the Fall at some point in their beekeeping adventure.
Perhaps you choose to not feed at all-no matter the circumstances. That is your choice. But, if they starve due to a lack of food that may not have been their fault. It’s on you.
Hopefully, all of your hives will be healthy and right on track to have enough food in storage. In that case, fall bee feeding will be one less thing for you to worry about. That’s sounds great.
Resources
- The Hive & The Honey Bee : Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois 2015