Feeding: Getting Your Bees Safely Through Winter

Feeding the colony correctly in autumn determines whether it makes it through the winter in good shape. Bees can no longer build up their own stores from nectar – you need to close that gap.

When to feed?

Best done from mid-August to mid-September. Feeding too late means the sugar solution can no longer be fully taken up and capped.

How much food?

A colony needs at least 15–18 kg of winter food. Weigh the hive before feeding – a colony with bees, combs and hive should weigh 28–30 kg once feeding is complete.

Making your own sugar solution

• Ratio 3:2 – 3 kg sugar to 2 liters of hot water
• Let it dissolve completely, then cool to room temperature
• No cane sugar or powdered sugar – only white household sugar

Alternatives: ready-made feed such as Apifonda or Apiinvert – convenient, but more expensive. Never feed leftover honey (risk of disease transmission).

Feeding methods

Liquid feeder (feeding bag or feeder frame) – placed directly in the brood chamber, so the bees do not have to go out into the cold. Recommended for autumn.

External feeder – only in warm weather, since otherwise the bees have to fly too far.

Checking

After 2–3 days, check whether the food has been taken up. Refill empty feeding bags right away, until the full amount has been given.