Feed the Bees

I’ve been feeding the bees once a day for the last few days.  It’s really easy, just a 1:1 mix of sugar and water.  I usually use hot water from the electric kettle so I don’t have to heat it over the stove.  You stir it until it’s clear, and then let it cool and serve it to the bees.

Bees feeding in a top feeder

I’ve got a top feeder that I purchased last year.  It works really well, however, I wish it  wasn’t level in the bottom of the feeding tray.  If it had a slight downslope, all the sugar water would run back to the bees, but they manage to lick up nearly all of it.

The swarm bees, or any new hive, needs a ton of fuel to build out all the comb they need.  It’s very taxing on their little bodies to produce so much wax, especially if they have to search and collect their own nectar.  So we supplement them with sugar water for a while to help them out.  You need to inspect the hive every couple days to keep an eye on their progress.  Once they are established, then it’s important to stop feeding them so they don’t get lazy.

The lilac's are out!