How to make bee syrup

As a rule, bees endure the winter period the hardest, which is why they need enhanced nutrition, which will allow insects to gain the necessary amount of energy to heat their bodies. Almost all beekeepers at such times use syrup for bees, which is quite healthy and nutritious. The effectiveness of such top dressing depends entirely on proper preparation and concentration.

How to make sugar syrup for bees

For cooking, only high-quality ingredients are allowed. The water must be clean and free from impurities. It is best to give preference to distilled water. Granulated sugar is taken of high quality, it is not recommended to use refined sugar.

In the process of preparation, it is equally important to observe the proportions of sugar syrup for bees. In this case, you can use the table. If the technologies are not followed, then the bees will refuse to feed.

Many experienced beekeepers recommend adding a small amount of vinegar to create and maintain an acidic environment. In addition, the sugar product with the addition of vinegar allows insects to accumulate fat mass and significantly increases the amount of brood produced.

It is also important to consider that top dressing should not be too thick. This is due to the fact that the bees will devote a large amount of time to processing the liquid into a suitable state, as a result of which a lot of moisture will be consumed. Liquid feeding is also not recommended, as the digestion process will be long and can lead to the death of the whole family.

Table for the preparation of sugar syrup for feeding bees

Before starting work, it is recommended that you first familiarize yourself with the table of syrup for feeding bees.

Thus, if 1 kg of granulated sugar is dissolved in 1 liter of water, then 1,6 liters of the finished product will be obtained in a 1: 1 ratio. For example, if you need to get 5 liters of bee food and the required concentration is 50% (1 * 1), then the table immediately shows that you need to take 3,1 liters of water and the same amount of sugar.

How to make bee syrup from sugar

The cooking technology is as follows:

1. Take the required amount of granulated sugar, while it should be white. It is not allowed to use reed and yellow.
2. Clean water is poured into the prepared deep container.
3. Bring water to a boil over low heat.
4. After the water boils, begin to introduce small portions of granulated sugar. Constantly stirring.
5. The mixture is kept until the crystals dissolve.
6. You can prevent burning if you do not bring to a boil.

The finished mixture is cooled to +35°C at room temperature, after which it is given to bee colonies. The water must be soft. Hard water must be defended throughout the day.

How much syrup is needed for 1 bee colony

As practice shows, the amount of sugar syrup obtained when feeding bees should not exceed 1 kg at the beginning of the winter period for each bee colony. By the end of winter, the consumption of finished products will increase, and each hive will consume up to 1,3-1,5 kg per month. In the spring, when young offspring are born, the amount of products consumed can increase by 2 times. This is due to the fact that there is still very little pollen and the weather does not allow to start collecting nectar.

How bees process sugar syrup

Processing is carried out by young insects that will go into the winter. Syrup, like nectar, is not a complete food. As you know, the syrup has a neutral reaction, and after processing it becomes sour, and practically does not differ from nectar. Bees add a special enzyme – invertase, due to which the breakdown of sucrose is carried out.

What additives are needed in the syrup for egg production of the uterus

To increase the egg production of the hive queen, pollen substitutes are added to the combs – protein feed. In addition, you can give:

• milk, in the ratio of 0,5 l of product per 1,5 kg of sugar syrup. Such a product is given at 300-400 g per hive, the dosage is gradually increased to 500 g;
• as a stimulation of the growth of bee colonies, cobalt is used – 24 mg of the drug per 1 liter of finished feeding.

In addition, regular syrup, well-prepared, will help to increase the amount of brood.

Shelf life of syrup for feeding bees

If necessary, if a large amount of subcortex has been prepared, it can be stored for a period of 10 to 12 days maximum. To do this, use glass containers that are tightly closed. For storage, choose a room with a good ventilation system and a low temperature regime.

Despite this, many beekeepers strongly recommend using exclusively freshly prepared top dressing. In addition, it is important to consider that most bees do not take syrup if it is prepared incorrectly.

Syrup with pepper for bees

Hot pepper is added to top dressing as a prevention and treatment of varroatosis in insects. Insects respond quite well to this component. In addition, pepper helps improve digestion. Hot peppers are not tolerated by ticks. You can prepare a syrup for feeding bees with the addition of pepper according to the following recipe:

1. Take fresh red hot pepper – 50 g.
2. Cut into small pieces.
3. Put in a thermos and pour 1 liter of boiling water.
4. After that, let it brew for 24 hours.
5. A day later, such a tincture can be added at the rate of 150 ml per 2,5 liters of top dressing.

This type of top dressing is used in the fall to stimulate the queen of the hive, which begins to lay eggs. In addition, this way you can get rid of ticks.

How to make bee sugar syrup with vinegar

Making syrup for bees with vinegar is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. In this situation, as in all others, it is recommended to follow all recommendations and use the exact amount of ingredients needed.

Sugar syrup is prepared according to the usual technology. The ratio of granulated sugar and water can be seen in the table above. It is recommended to use 80% vinegar essence. For every 5 kg of sugar, 0,5 tbsp. l. vinegar. After the sugar syrup is ready and it has cooled to + 35 ° C at room temperature, 1 tbsp. l. vinegar and lay top dressing in the hives.

How much vinegar to add to bee sugar syrup

As practice shows, winter feeding of bee colonies will be much more effective if the syrup for bees is diluted with honey, acetic acid, or any other ingredients are added. By adding vinegar, beekeepers get an inverted syrup that insects absorb and process much faster than a regular sugar-based mixture.

In order for the insects to endure the winter period better, a small amount of acetic acid is added to the finished dressing. This composition allows the accumulation of fat reserves, resulting in a decrease in the amount of food consumed and an increase in brood.

For 10 kg of granulated sugar, it is recommended to add 4 ml of acetic essence or 3 ml of acetic acid. This ingredient must be added to the syrup, which has cooled to + 40 ° C.

How much apple cider vinegar to add to bee syrup

All beekeepers know that the syrup made from granulated sugar has a neutral reaction, but after it is transferred to the honeycombs by insects, it becomes sour. From this it follows that for the normal life and health of insects, the feed used must be acidic.

To facilitate the processing of top dressing, beekeepers add apple cider vinegar to bee syrup in the ratio: 4 g of apple cider vinegar per 10 kg of granulated sugar. As practice shows, bee colonies consume such syrup much better. At the same time, it is important to take into account that the use of this type of food in the winter period significantly reduces the amount of death.

The brood from bee colonies consuming the syrup with the addition of apple cider vinegar will be almost 10% higher, in contrast to those that ate the usual syrup based on sugar and without any additional additives.

How to cook sugar syrup for bees with garlic

Garlic sugar syrup is a real drug that many beekeepers use in their bee treatment. Thus, in the winter period, using such top dressing, you can not only give food to insects, but also cure them if there are diseases.

Some beekeepers use juice obtained from garlic greens, the concentration of which is 20%, to prepare sugar syrup for bees. As a rule, a standard recipe is used to prepare the syrup, after which garlic juice is added to it, or 0,5 cloves, finely grated, are added to 2 liters of top dressing. For each family, it is necessary to give 100-150 g of the resulting composition. After 5 days, feeding is repeated.

Syrup for bees with citric acid

As a rule, the inverted mixture is prepared on the basis of ordinary sugar syrup. A distinctive feature is the fact that sucrose is broken down to glucose and fructose. Thus, the bees spend much less energy to process such top dressing. The splitting process is carried out by adding citric acid.

The simplest recipe for syrup for bees with the addition of citric acid is the usual combination of all the necessary ingredients.

From the ingredients you will need:

• citric acid – 7 g;
• granulated sugar – 3,5 kg;
• water – 3 l.

The cooking process is as follows:

1. Take a deep enamel pan.
2. Add water, sugar and citric acid.
3. Put the pot on a slow fire.
4. Bring to a boil, stir constantly.
5. As soon as the future syrup boils, the fire is reduced to a minimum and boiled for 1 hour.

During this time, the process of sugar inversion takes place. Top dressing can be given to insects after it has cooled at room temperature to + 35 ° C.

How to make syrup for bees with needles

Infusion of needles is recommended to be prepared according to the following algorithm:

1. Coniferous needles are finely cut with scissors or a knife.
2. Rinse thoroughly under running water.
3. Transfer to a deep saucepan and pour water in the ratio: 4,5 liters of pure water per 1 kg of coniferous needles.
4. After boiling, the infusion is boiled for about 1,5 hours.

The resulting infusion has a green color and a bitter taste. After cooking, it must be filtered, allowed to cool. This infusion is added in 200 ml for each 1 liter of sugar syrup. In the spring, this type of top dressing should be given to insects every other day, then daily for 9 days.

How to cook syrup for bees with wormwood

The preparation of syrup for feeding bees with the addition of wormwood is carried out for prophylaxis against varroatosis and nosematosis. In this case, you will need to add bitter wormwood and pine buds collected from young shoots, the length of which does not exceed 4 cm, to the sugar syrup.

Wormwood must be prepared 2 times during the year:

• at the time of vegetation;
• during the flowering period.

Beforehand, wormwood must be dried in a dark place, at a temperature of +20°C. Store finished products in a dry and well-ventilated place for up to 2 years.

The process of preparing therapeutic top dressing is as follows:

1. Take 1 liter of clean water and pour it into a deep enameled pan.
2. 5 g of pine buds, 5 g of wormwood (collected during the growing season) and 90 g of wormwood (collected during the flowering period) are added to the pot.
3. Boil for 2,5 hours.
4. After the broth has cooled at room temperature, it is filtered.

Such an infusion based on wormwood is added to syrup and given to bee colonies.

bee feeding schedule

Each beekeeper must adhere to the schedule according to which the bees will receive top dressing. As a rule, several empty frames should be placed in the center of the hive, on which the bees will leave fresh honey in the future. Gradually, the insects will move to the sides where the flower honey is located.

Top dressing is carried out according to several technologies, according to the goal:

• if you want to grow a strong brood, then the feeding time must be extended. To do this, the bee family must receive syrup in a volume of 0,5 to 1 liter until the combs are completely filled;
• for ordinary top dressing, it is enough to add about 1-3 liters of sugar syrup 4 time, which will fully satisfy all the needs of insects.

In addition, it is necessary to take into account the method of wintering. For example, if the insects are in the winter in the omshannik, then the amount of feeding should be reduced, since the bees do not spend much energy on heating the bodies. The situation is different with the hives, which remain on the street in the winter – they need good nutrition.

Only by taking into account all these factors, you can create the necessary schedule.

Conclusion

Syrup for bees is a necessary type of feeding for a swarm during the winter period. It is necessary to carry out this event at the end of the honey collection and pumping out the finished product. As a rule, beekeepers do not use natural products as top dressing, as there is a possibility of nosematosis. In addition, sugar syrup is much easier to digest by the digestive system of insects and is a guarantee that the bees will overwinter safely.