Feeding Bees Part 1: Pollen Substitute and Sugar Syrup - How, What and Why

Feeding Bees Part 1 of a four part series. A detailed look at how and why we feed our bees pollen substitute and sugar syrup including tips on feeders, feeding techniques and much more.

[larryjennings]

Hi Bob. My name is Larry Jennings, I live in SW Virginia, and have been a beekeeper for over 50 of my 90 plus years. Amazingly, even though for many of those 50 years I was active in the Blue Ridge Beekeepers Assn. (Roanoke, VA.). both going through the chairs and teaching new as well as advanced beekeepers, I still nearly every day learn something new about beekeeping either from working with the bees or watching videos on You Tube, many of which you have produced. You have a clear voice (I'm partially deaf) and your delivery is impeccable. Just wanted to let you know this and that I'll continue looking forward to your programs on You Tube. Best wishes and continued success to you and yours!

[ZoysiaRUs]

I watch a lot of beekeeping channels and yours is by far the most informative and directed to actually teaching beekeepers. You’re a great teacher and openly pass along information that helps people to be successful. I appreciate you!

[kipglass]

Bob, are my computations wrong? Near the end of the video saying you fed 4 gallons of 1:1 syrup to build up that colony.
Water weighs 8.34 lbs per gallon, to make this easy let's just say 8. 4 gal. x 8 lbs is 32 lbs. So as your caption said, if sugar was 50 cents per lbs, that would be $8. You use 32 lbs so it should be $16. Correct?

[soulfate]

Perhaps buckets with UV stability? No breakage? Just an idea

[mihai.r-beekeeper]

Hello. I proceed as follows: August, September beet sugar syrup 2/1,
March, April beet sugar syrup 1/1.
I also tried corn syrup and it winters well.
I'm not for honey syrup. I do not remove the honey to introduce diluted in the hive.
The climate is about the same as in Minneapolis.
All the best.

[nate-]

The need for extra equipment when feeding with buckets, either an empty hive body or a shim, is why I am switching to migratory lids. Thanks for all the great information Bob. Your knowledge is invaluable thanks for sharing.

[patrickhopton]

On the colonies that you leave on the screened bottom boards for the winter (14:40), how do you treat them with with oxalic acid? Dribble?

[beebob]

I'm using buckets now. What I found to do when putting a bucket on is to squeeze the bucket while it's upright and as I turn it over 'release' the squeeze. This starts the vacuum and I don't get the dripping that you're talking about. It's working for me when I'm feeding.
Good point about timing and the moisture content of syrup. Our average first frost where I live is October 15. Health bees going out of the honey flows (low mites) is important. As of September 1 any egg laid where I am is a winter bee. Three weeks to develop and three weeks to remain in the hive as a house bee brings me to October 15th. Then the feeding has to be thick and fast for winter.
Nice video.

[johnlehr]

Thank you for the informative videos. I appreciate the information that you provided in addition to the feeding topic.

[JamesBakerOhio]

You are a wealth of knowledge and it is apparent that you are teaching what you have learned because you add quotes from the material and cite sources. Thanks for sharing your wisdom 👍

[stufarnham]

I love it when one of us older beeks (I will be 70 at my next birthday). “Oh, yeah!” Says Bob. “Oy!” says Stu. I like your videos because they are real field classes, direct observation and explanation. Thanks!

[whosranch]

Bob what would you do if found a queen less hive and had no queen to introduce to hive?

[PutEmInTheBox]

Really appreciate the effort you put into citing multiple articles and research documents. Those tidbits really enforce the point you are making to your audience. I enjoy your videos Bob.

[michaelposner]

I can't get those yellow plugs with a screen to stay in the bucket. They pop out when I try to flip them over. Any idea? Using a two inch plug with a two inch hole drilled with forstner bit.

[dwightcarter]

On topic of fermenting syrup.... What if a hive takes over a week to take a gallon of syrup? Should I pull it and give them fresh?

[kevinj.monfelt]

I've seen tremendous improvement in our colonies since following your feeding practices.

[OlJarhead]

Bob... Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge. I am a third year hobby beekeeper in Southern Indiana. I started out by catching a swarm on my property and have split them to where I now have four colonies heading into winter this year. I think that is all I want. I did purchase queens from Joe May in Bloomington the previous two years to add some DNA diversity to my colonies. This year I let my one split successfully make their own queen. You and Kaymon have been a great help in getting me up to speed in a few short years and I greatly appreciate it. I still have a LOT to learn... so keep up the great work in spreading your wealth of knowledge! You are surely a greater influence than you realize!

[johnniecarter]

Bob does cane sugar do more bad than good for the bees than “table” sugar? Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us!,

[daryldaigle]

Bob, where do you get the removable plugs for the feeder buckets? Do you sell them? Thanks for your wealth of knowledge you share with us .

[geanitsucuneli]

Walmart delivery sugar, with $0.36/Lb .... sometimes $0.31/Lb of course if you buy a semiload of 17 pallets.