Fall Feed | 10-15°C 

Entering the fall, beekeepers will typically provide a sugar syrup with 70% sucrose content (2:1 sugar to water; e.g. 2 kg sugar dissolved in 1 L of water) to their colonies as a supplemental feed to help ensure their survival. As the temperature gets colder, bees prefer a heavier syrup because the water content is lower, so there is less to evaporate before being able to cap it for long-term storage [3].  

Emergency Feed | < 10°C 

Once the temperature drops below 10°C, bees can no longer effectively collect and move sugar syrup and so it’s time to switch to a solid food source. Fondant and candy boards (also known as sugar blocks or sugar bricks) are great options for winter and emergency supplementary feed because they absorb moisture (helps to manage moisture levels in the hive over winter), they are long lasting (avoids frequent hive openings), and they are placed directly on top of the frames so they are easily accessible by the bees (they don’t need to venture far to access food).  

Spring Feed | ~ 15°C+ 

Last but not least, a light syrup can be fed in the early spring to stimulate brood rearing and comb building. Heading into the fall, a single brood chamber colony should weigh 30-40 kg whereas a double brood chamber should weigh 45-55 kg. In the early spring, tilt your hives to see how it compares to the weight in the fall. If it’s very light and easy to tilt, your colony may need additional feed to tide them over before nectar becomes readily available again. A 70% sugar syrup can be used, though a 1:1 ratio (50% sucrose content; e.g. 1kg of sugar dissolved in 1L of water) is more common in the spring because honey bees will consume it right away rather than storing it like they would a heavier syrup [3]. 

Below are sugar-to-water ratios acceptable for creating fall, spring, and emergency feed. These recipes were revised from those provided by Axel Krause, the West Kootenay’s apiary inspector and BCHPA Educator: