Feeding Honey Bees Sugar Water – Updated! Mixing sugar water for bees is one of the first tasks most new beekeepers attempt. Feeding new colonies can mean a big boost in development. But, you need to do it right to avoid problems. Each year thousands of beekeepers invest time in feeding bees sugar water. And, […]
Using Pollen Patties to Promote Strong Beehives
Make Your Own Pollen Patties For Bees Are you new to the beekeeping community? You may be surprised to hear beekeepers talking about buying or making pollen patties. Feeding pollen patties can be the difference between having a weak honey bee colony and one that is strong, healthy and ready to work Why Beekeepers Feed […]
One Emergency Method of Feeding Bees in Winter
Reasons for Feeding Bees in Winter In a perfect situation, honey bees work throughout the warm months. They collect pollen and nectar. The nectar is converted into honey and stored for Winter. A healthy honey bee colony in a region with plenty of nectar sources should be able to sustain the cold months with their […]
How to Make a Pollen Feeder for Bees
An Easy & Inexpensive Way to Make a Pollen Feeder It is a common practice for beekeepers to offer pollen or pollen substitutes to honey bee colonies. This gives the hcolony a boost at certain times of the year. A drought may cause a lack of natural pollen or rapidly building early Spring colonies may […]
The Secret to Successfully Feeding Fall Bee Colonies
Feeding Fall Bee Colonies – One Last Time The cold weather is here or will be in a few days and most beekeeping jobs should be finished. Hopefully, all colonies are queen right and varroa mite counts are low. Each colony should have good honey stores. Even so, most years I add a strategy to […]
Feeding Bees For Winter Survival
Feeding Bees For Winter Survival In a perfect world, beekeepers would never need to be concerned about feeding bees for winter. Every season would provide abundance nectar for all colonies. And some beekeepers feel strongly about the issue of feeding bees …..or not feeding. However, nature has many uncontrollable factors. The honey bee colony is subject to the same environmental […]
Nectar Dearth – Trouble for Honey Bees
The Nectar Dearth – What it Means to Honey Bees I enjoy seeing honey bees flying through the air on warm Spring mornings looking for food. Nectar and pollen collected from the new flowers is necessary for colony growth. The bees work diligently to make honey and raise young bees. But this time of plenty […]
How to Feed A New Package of Bees: Keys to Success
Why Feed a New Package of Bees? Knowing how to feed a new package of bees is very important to the novice beekeeper. Understanding why is even more important. Local forage conditions and summer droughts affect the condition of your colonies. Buying a package of bees is the most common way to acquire new honey […]