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Feeding Honeybees – What’s the Buzz?
Early on in my beekeeping days I received a text-message from an acquaintance who had bought a year’s supply of honey from me. It went something like this:
The message took me by surprise. I was shocked, a little angry, very disappointed and sad that someone should think of me as someone who would do such a thing. But I soon realised that this question had little to do with me or my honey. It was merely a reaction to several reports circulating in the media at that time. Revelations of food fraud and adulteration of honey, coupled with the fact that over a few months my honey had of course crystallized, which said acquaintance thought was an indication that the bees had been fed sugar to make the honey. Apparently, although it is widely known that most honeys crystallize over time, this is in fact a very common misconception.
It is often the plight of beekeepers to try to convince people that our honey is the real deal and worth every cent of the price we ask for it. In this blog I will discuss the issue of feeding honeybees, what and why they are fed. Most people will be aware that honeybees are sometimes fed. Many non-beekeepers may, however, not be au fait with the different reasons why we feed them, what, how and when. As a result, some will wrongly surmise that the bees are fed for the purpose of producing honey.
Feeding and not feeding
Beekeepers have two responsibilities, both equally important. First, to practice good animal husbandry and second, to produce a safe food product. That means that on one hand, there is sometimes a need for feeding honeybees to keep them alive and healthy. On the other hand, we need to not feed them when it could contaminate or dilute the honey. When discussing feeding honeybees, it is important to know that these two are not necessarily opposites. In good beekeeping, they go hand in hand.
A question that is commonly asked by people is: Do you feed your bees? It should be a simple Yes or No answer. However, as often is the case in beekeeping, it becomes a Yes AND No answer. With a long explanation in tow.
No, because as a general rule, I prefer to leave lots of honey for the bees after harvest and expect them to do well over winter on those stores of late summer and ivy honey.
But Yes, because there are always a few that need to be topped up with syrup in autumn. And a further No, because I do not feed sugar syrup in order for the bees to convert it into honey. And Yes, because if it is a matter of whether to feed my bees or let them starve, I feed. Every time. And make no apologies for it. I would rather have live bees than dead bees.
Why do bees make honey?
Bees eat honey. But not straight. And not only honey. It is not even their favourite food. They feed on a mix of pollen, nectar and diluted honey. The reason that they store honey in the form that they do is, in simple terms, that nature provides that inverted nectar with a reduced moisture level (what we call honey), sealed in wax, does not ferment. Therefore, it is available as a food source for the honeybees all year around. It provides food security for the colony when there is little or no nectar or pollen available outside.
Honeybees make and store honey as a means of survival. A conscientious beekeeper will keep this in mind at all times. Especially at harvest time. And make sure to remove only the surplus that the bees have gathered, leaving the bees with plenty of stores for the upcoming winter. They will also monitor the colonies throughout autumn and feed if needed.
Honeybees are not to be fed when they make honey. It is a requirement for all honey producers to account for the amount of feed that was given and the dates that the feed was given. This information is kept and made available to the representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine when they perform their inspections. This is to ensure that there is no overlap between honey production and feeding. It guarantees that when you buy pure Irish honey, you get pure Irish honey.
Why feed honeybees?
The type of feed given to honeybees can be divided into three categories: Post harvest or autumn feeding. Emergency feeding. And stimulative feeding. Depending on what time of the year and the condition of the bees, the feed administered is either syrup made from granulated sugar and water, or fondant. Feeding bees is not done purely as a means of providing food. It is also done to ensure that the queen keeps laying eggs. The queen’s egg laying is directly linked to the amount of food coming into the hive. The more food is coming in, the more eggs she lays. When the amount of food decreases and stops, she does the same.
It makes perfect sense really. There is no point in producing more babies if the colony does not have the means to feed them. For non-beekeepers and beekeepers alike, it is important to be aware of this correlation. And for those of us who enjoy gardening, try to plant flowers and plants that provide pollen and nectar when there is otherwise little for the bees to forage on.
Feed for Winter Preparations
Sufficient food reserves, lots of winter bees, a secure hive and a healthy queen are the best winter preparations for honeybee colonies. To overwinter, a colony will need somewhere between 15 to 40 kilos of honey. This will vary depending on the size of the colony and strain of bee. Colonies that do not have enough reserves at the beginning of autumn are often fed to get them up to the required weight. The feeding of bees can be a bit of a divisive issue among beekeepers. Some advocating no feeding at all and others prophesizing certain methods and practices. We all do it differently, but with the same aim in mind: to keep our bees alive over winter.
Feeding honeybees after the harvest serves at least three purposes: Building up stores for the winter. Stimulating the laying of eggs (winter bees for good colony survival). And busying an idle workforce who have nothing to do after the honeyflow has ended. Autumn feed is typically a thick syrup. This is because the bees then have less work in removing excess moisture before packing it into the cells.
Some beekeepers prefer to give their bees one or two big helpings of syrup. Others choose to give smaller portions over a longer period to further stimulate the colony to rear brood. Yet other beekeepers may decide not to feed immediately after the harvest, or just offer small amounts to stimulate egg-laying. The bees can then go into winter on late summer and ivy honey alone, or they might receive a feed at the same time as the ivy flow. Feeding syrup at the same time as Ivy can help prevent the ivy honey from solidifying in the hive over winter making it easier for the bees to use.
Emergency Feed to Prevent Starvation
Emergency feed is given when a colony is at risk of immediate starvation due to a lack of food reserves. It can also be given when there is not a lot of nectar and pollen available. As well as when the colonies are low in older foraging bees, or when a colony is under threat of isolation-starvation during winter due to low numbers of bees or cold.
Emergency feeding can be required at any time of the year. But most common is at the end of winter, during the June gap, or after the honey has been taken off in the autumn. It may also need to be provided to weak colonies that are low in numbers. And also to splits that do not have many older foraging bees. A colony that is lacking food will not rear any new bees. And as honeybees are short lived, about six weeks in the summer and up to six months in the winter, if they have no new bees to replace the older ones, a starving colony will dwindle fast.
Stimulative Feed for Egglaying and Expansion
Stimulative feeding is when colonies are given light syrup to encourage brood-rearing. This is often done in case of early crops such as Oilseed Rape, in order to get the queen to start laying eggs early in the season. The syrup is given a little at a time, every few days. This mimics the start of a flow and enticing the colony to start early brood-rearing. Pollen or pollen substitute is often given in early spring for the same reason. Feeding honeybees can play an important role in building up weaker colonies. It can give them that extra boost that might be the difference between dwindling and thriving.
Final Thoughts
In the fascinating world of beekeeping, the relationship between beekeepers and our buzzing companions is a delicate dance of care and responsibility. As we’ve delved into the intricacies of feeding honeybees, we’ve uncovered the true depth of this partnership.
The initial skepticism I faced about the authenticity of my honey served as a poignant reminder of the challenges beekeepers often encounter in defending the purity of their product. In the midst of misconceptions and media reports, the steadfast dedication of conscientious beekeepers shines through. (To read more about adulteration of honey see my article on Fake Honey.)
The act of feeding honeybees is not simply about sustenance; it embodies a profound commitment to the well-being and survival of these incredible creatures. Navigating the delicate balance between providing essential nourishment and safeguarding the integrity of honey production reveals the multifaceted nature of beekeeping. From autumn nourishment to emergency interventions and stimulating egg-laying, the art of feeding honeybees is a strategic and compassionate endeavor, ensuring that these invaluable pollinators thrive, even in the face of adversity.
So, whether you’re a seasoned beekeeper or a curious observer, let us remember that beyond the honey jars, it is the symbiotic bond between beekeepers and bees that truly sweetens the journey.
Hanna Bäckmo
Soft Set Honey – What is it & How is it Made?
Is There a King Bee?
Why Most Daffodils don’t Attract Bees
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