Honey Bee Supplemental Feeding
To feed Honey bees liquid in cooler* weather, use Sugar Syrup:
1 pint water
4 cups pure CANE** SUGAR
These are basic proportions: multiply as needed.
Heat water in a stainless steel or enamel pan, add sugar and stir till sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
Lemon Grass oil (1/2 tsp per pint water) or Honey Bee Healthy (per package directions) may be added.
Syrup may be stored in glass jars till needed. Let warm to room temperature before feeding. Use a hive top feeder or baggie inside a feeder rim.
*Daytime temperatures 50 degrees or above: nights above freezing.
**The package must say "Cane Sugar:" if it doesn't, it's beet sugar which is not recommended for Honey Bees.
When weather is too cold (Bees cannot take syrup that's below 50 degrees)
solid sugar can be fed in a number of forms.
1. Place a paper plate on top of frames and pour granulated Cane Sugar in to fill. Or pour dry sugar into any hive top feeder.
2. Make Sugar Cake as follows:
2 cups Sugar Syrup as shown above
4 lbs Cane Sugar
Heat prepared Syrup just to warm.
Lay out paper plates on work surface.
Stir in dry Cane Sugar and continue to stir over low heat as it dissolves.
Keep adding dry Sugar till mixture forms a thick paste. Do not allow to boil
When no more can be stirred in, ladle the paste into paper plates and leave to harden.
To feed, place cake on top of frames, inside a feeder rim. Don't worry about the paper: the bees will dispose of it.
3. Candy Board feeders can be ordered from Bee Suppliers, and are filled with fondant and inverted above the top brood box.
https://honeybeesuite.com/how-to-make-fondant-from-table-sugar/