sugar syrup

occasionally, beekeepers need to supplement their girls’ diet with sugar syrup. nectar dearths, helping a newly-swarmed hive draw out comb on many empty frames, or helping to stabilize a hive with a brand new queen are a few good reasons. recently in southern maine, beekeepers are experiencing a rather severe nectar dearth. check out the excerpt below from our local bee club -

“there are several areas in York County (micro-climates) where, right now, beekeepers are finding no nectar in their hives - many of them inland locations. Some of the coastal areas are experiencing the opposite situation and honey supers are filling up causing overcrowding and swarming. A few other beekeepers from our area with whom I spoke last night are experiencing what we are with the nectar dearth. So... to keep feeding for a little bit continues to be a good idea until the bees have a chance to backfill their brood chamber.”

given this situation, all four of our hives are now being fed. nectar is the bee’s natural carbohydrate, but we use sugar in a 1 to 1 dilution. it mustn't be too hot or too cold - just right! we pop it in a freezer bag and place it on the feeder board at the top of the hive. the feeder board has a hole drilled in it so the bees can come up and have dinner. we make 2 slits in the plastic so the syrup seeps out. bon appetit!