Honeybees have been in existence for hundreds of years. They are adept at collecting nectar to make one of the superfoods in the world: honey. Contrary to what many may believe, they make honey and other products for their colonies. Honey is stocked in the hive to be used in winter when there are no food sources, and the temperatures are freezing. Beekeepers are supposed to harvest only the surplus honey from bee colonies. 

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Can bees survive without sugar water?

Bees can survive without sugar water. Some may not require the sugar, depending on their local conditions.  However, they may need supplemental feeding in times of nectar dearth or when they don’t have enough reserves for winter. Just as a substitute when natural food is not available. Honey is their natural and best quality food for their colonies. Nectar contains nutrients vital to bee health and cannot be replaced with sugar water. It keeps the colony alive, though.

Feeding a newly installed bee package is vital to help it build up. Supplemental feeding should not be a substitute for natural foraging. Again, in places where beekeepers put many hives in one location, bees cannot always rely on natural nectar. When the real nectar is available, bees tend to turn off their noses from the sugar syrup. 

Why do beekeepers feed bees with sugar water instead of honey?

It is not advisable to feed honey bees with honey unless it is from a known source, such as your disease-free hives. This is not possible unless you have a well-established bee farm. Feeding them honey from supermarkets or other beekeepers can infect the colony. Spores of American foulbrood can also be in the honey. Beekeepers also process honey differently, which can make your bees sick. While feeding your bees, honeycombs or sugar syrup should be placed in the hive to prevent robbing cases. This can spread diseases and parasites among colonies.  

Do bees use sugar water to make honey?

Bees can use any nectar-like substance to make honey. Beekeepers should never feed bees sugar water when the honey supers are in the hive. Supers are where bees store extra honey that beekeepers usually harvest. Honey from sugar water is not real honey. 

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What is the best type of sugar to feed bees?

White sugar is the type that is recommended to feed bees. Other types of sugar may contain harmful substances that could harm the bees’ health. Sugar with additives may cause dysentery in honey bees.  You should specifically avoid brown sugar, waste sugar, and molasses. 

The concentration of sugar water depends on the season. In spring and summer, a thin sugar syrup is used that resembles the nectar from plants. This is the best to stimulate brood rearing. In fall and winter, the colony requires a thick syrup (two parts of sugar to 1 part of water). The bees don’t have enough time to remove the water from the sugar. A beekeeper should avoid sugar water when colonies have access to natural nectar flow.

How Often to Feed Sugar Water

When it comes to feeding sugar water to bees, the frequency depends on various factors such as the availability of natural nectar sources, weather conditions, and the health of the hive. Generally, beekeepers provide sugar water to their bees as a supplemental food source during times of scarcity, such as early spring or late fall when flowers are scarce. In these periods, feeding sugar water every few days or once a week may be necessary to ensure the bees have enough energy to survive. However, during peak nectar flows in the summer, bees may not need supplemental feeding as they can collect sufficient nectar from flowers. Regular monitoring of hive conditions and food stores can help determine the appropriate frequency of sugar water feeding.