Content
Wintering is considered the most stressful period for bees. Survival in low temperature conditions directly depends on the amount of stored food. Therefore, feeding bees with sugar syrup for the winter significantly increases the chances of surviving the winter safely.
Benefits of overwintering bees on sugar syrup
If the hymenoptera did not have time to prepare the required amount of food for the winter, the beekeeper supplements them with sugar syrup. This method is regulated by a time frame. Sugar syrup is considered healthier than artificial additives. Its advantages include:
- reducing the risk of stool disorder in bees;
- increasing immunity;
- good digestibility;
- reduced likelihood of rot forming in the hive;
- prevention of infectious diseases.
Despite the advantages, not all beekeepers use sugar syrup as a top dressing. It should be served in small portions, warm. Bees do not consume cold food. In addition, feeding bees with syrup for the winter leads to their early awakening in the spring, which does not always have a good effect on the quality of insect work.
The need to feed bees with sugar syrup
In the fall, the inhabitants of the hive are preoccupied with preparing honey for the wintering period. Sometimes beekeepers take away supplies in order to increase the profitability of the apiary. In some cases, the need to feed bees is forced. Feeding bees in winter with syrup is carried out in the following cases:
- weakened state of the bee family;
- the bulk of the reserves consists of honeydew honey;
- the need to compensate for a bribe from a hive put aside for the winter;
- poor quality honey collection.
When to feed bees with syrup for the winter
Feeding with sugar syrup must be carried out in accordance with the established deadlines. By September, the nests should be completely ready for wintering. It is advisable to start feeding bees with sugar syrup for the winter from the beginning of August. If in September-October the hymenoptera's need for nutrients continues, the feed dosage is increased. Feeding in winter is carried out on an ongoing basis.
To properly feed a bee family, you need to pay attention to the location of the feeder in the hive. It should not restrict the movement of Hymenoptera. It is advisable to place the fertilizer in the upper part of the bee's home.Food stored for the winter should not interfere with air exchange in the hive. Be sure to leave free space above the frames.
How to feed bees with sugar syrup in winter
Feeding with sugar syrup for the winter in beekeeping is carried out strictly according to the rules. It is strictly forbidden to feed hymenoptera earlier or later than the prescribed time. In the second case, insects simply will not be able to properly process the food. At temperatures below 10 °C, the ability to produce invertase decreases sharply. This will lead to a decrease in immune defense or death of the bees.
Composition of syrup for feeding bees for the winter
There are several options for the recipe for syrup for bees for the winter. They differ not only in components, but also in consistency. In some cases, lemon, honey, industrial invertase or vinegar are added to the classic version of feeding. To change the consistency of the food, it is enough to choose the correct proportions of sugar syrup for bees in winter. To make the food thick, 600 ml will require 800 g of granulated sugar. To prepare liquid food, 600 ml of water is mixed with 600 g of sugar. To prepare an acidic feed you will need the following components:
- 6 liters of water;
- 14 g citric acid;
- 7 kg granulated sugar.
Cooking process:
- The ingredients are mixed in an enamel pan and placed on the stove.
- After boiling, reduce the heat to minimum.
- Within 3 hours the food reaches the desired consistency.
- After cooling, the syrup can be given to the bee family.
Syrup based on industrial invertase is characterized by good digestibility. To prepare it you need:
- 5 kg sugar;
- 2 g invertase;
- 5 liters of water.
Cooking algorithm:
- The sugar base is boiled according to the classic recipe for 3 hours.
- After the syrup has cooled to a temperature of 40 ° C, invertase is added to it.
- The syrup is left to stand for 2 days, waiting for the end of fermentation.
To prepare a dressing with the addition of honey, use the following components:
- 750 g honey;
- 2.4 g acetic acid crystals;
- 725 g sugar;
- 2 liters of water.
Recipe:
- The ingredients are mixed in a deep container.
- For 5 days, the dishes are placed in a room with a temperature of 35°C.
- Throughout the entire settling time, the syrup is stirred 3 times a day.
To increase the resistance of Hymenoptera to various diseases, cobalt chloride is added to sugar syrup. It is sold in pharmacies in tablet form. For 2 liters of the finished solution you will need 2 cobalt tablets. The resulting feeding is often used to increase the activity of young individuals.
Sometimes cow's milk is added to the syrup. The product makes it most similar in composition to the food habitual for bees. In this case, the following components are used:
- 800 ml milk;
- 3.2 liters of water;
- 3 kg sugar.
Feeding recipe:
- The feeding is cooked according to the classical scheme, using 20% less water than usual.
- After the syrup has cooled to a temperature of 45°C, milk is added.
- After mixing the components, the food is served to the bee family.
What syrup is best to give to bees for the winter?
Food for hymenoptera is selected individually, depending on the condition of the family and the purpose of feeding. With the help of feeding, the following tasks are solved:
- raising queens;
- replenishment of vitamin reserves;
- prevention of early scarring of the uterus;
- prevention of diseases in the bee family;
- boosting immunity before the first flight.
Throughout the wintering period, you can combine several types of food.But most often beekeepers use a recipe that involves adding honey. It is considered most useful for Hymenoptera. But it is not recommended to use honey made from rapeseed nectar, mustard, fruit or rapeseed.
How much syrup to give bees for the winter
The concentration of syrup for bees for the winter depends on the time of year and the life cycle of the bee family. In winter, insects are fed in small portions - 30 g per day.
How to prepare syrup for bees for the winter
During wintering, bees eat fertilizer instead of honey. In order not to constantly be distracted by replenishing supplies of sugar solution, you should make the preparation in advance. The feeding is boiled in large volumes, after which it is poured into portions. The amount of feed is determined according to climatic conditions. In some areas, bees need feeding for 8 months. In cold years, up to 750 g of feeding will be required for one month.
The preparation of syrup for bees in winter should be done using water that does not have mineral impurities. It must be boiled and left for several hours. A pan made of non-oxidizing materials is used as a container for mixing and cooking ingredients.
How to properly apply fertilizer
To put food into the hive, use a special feeder. The most common is the frame feeder. It is a wooden box in which you can place liquid food. The frame is placed in the hive, not far from the ball of bees. If there is a need for feeding in winter, solid food is placed in the hive - in the form of candy or fudge. It is important to prevent bees from leaving the hive during replenishment.
Methods of laying food
There are several options for adding food to a bee hive. These include:
- plastic bags;
- honeycomb;
- feeders;
- glass jars.
When bees winter without honeycombs on sugar syrup, glass jars are often used. The neck is tied with gauze, which ensures dosing of feed. The jar is turned over and placed in this position on the bottom of the hive. Placing food in honeycombs is practiced only for feeding in the autumn. When exposed to low temperatures, the sugar solution will become too hard.
Feeding bees for the winter with sugar syrup in bags
Using packaging bags as containers is the cheapest way to store feed. Their distinctive feature is the transmission of aromas, which allows bees to independently detect food. There is no need to pierce the bags; the bees will do it themselves.
The bags are filled with bait and tied with a strong knot. They are laid out on the upper frames. It is advisable to insulate the structure from above. The feeding should be spread out carefully so as not to crush the hymenoptera.
Observing bees after feeding
Making syrup for bees for the winter is not the most difficult thing. It is necessary to carefully monitor the wintering process of bees. If necessary, re-feed. Sometimes it happens that the inhabitants of the hive ignore the feeder without showing much activity. The reasons for this phenomenon include:
- spread of infection in the hive;
- foreign odor entering the food that repels bees;
- a large amount of brood in the combs;
- feeding too late;
- fermentation of the prepared syrup.
Winter inspections should be carried out at least once every 2-3 weeks. If the family is weakened, then the frequency of examinations is increased to once a week. First you should carefully listen to the hive. There should be a low hum coming from inside. To look inside, you need to carefully open the lid. Do not open the hive in windy and frosty weather. It is advisable to choose the warmest day possible.
During inspection, it is necessary to record the location of the ball and evaluate the behavior of the Hymenoptera. Feeding in the form of honeycombs is placed flat in the hive. It is equally important to determine whether there is excess moisture in the bee’s home. When exposed to sub-zero temperatures, it causes the family to freeze.
If high-quality feeding is left for the winter, there is no need for frequent disturbance of the bee family. You just need to periodically listen to the sounds coming from inside the bee’s home. Experienced beekeepers are able to determine by sound the condition of their bees.
Conclusion
Feeding bees for the winter with sugar syrup helps them get through the winter without complications. The quality and quantity of feed is of great importance. The ratio of syrup for bees in winter is proportional to the volume of the colony.
