How to Mix Sugar Syrup to Feed a Bee Hive

A simple mixture of sugar and water will help make your bees easier to move into their hive.

If you are thinking about ordering bees, or if you have recently hived bees, you need to feed them a mixture of sugar and water until they can build up their own natural store of food. You may also need to feed them this syrup in the late fall to help them build up stores for the winter. You can spray it on your bees while they're still in their shipping container, which will make them easier to move into their hive.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket that holds over 2 gallons
• 12 lbs sugar in the Spring, or 24 lbs in the fall/winter
• 1 gallon hot tap water

Instructions

1. Pour sugar into the bucket.

2. Pour in hot water. Avoid using boiling water, which will change the chemical properties of the sugar.

3. Stir the mixture in the bucket.

References

• American Bee Journal: Helpful Hints
• Honey Bees and Beekeeping
• Show Me the Honey!: How and Why to Feed Bees

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish