Feeding Your Bees

Feed Your Bees, Check Their Stores – Why It Matters Right Now!

This is the time of year when hives can suddenly turn. They looked strong a few weeks ago, full of flying bees, and now – bang – they’re light as a feather and heading for trouble.

I always say: don’t guess, check. Right now, it’s absolutely vital to keep an eye on your bees’ food stores and step in with feed if they’re short.

Why Now?

Late summer and early autumn is when colonies are raising their winter bees – the fat-bodied workers that have to keep the whole colony alive right through until spring. If they don’t have enough food to rear them properly, your hive will struggle when the cold hits.

And here’s the sting in the tail – a hive can look “busy” at the entrance but still be starving inside. Never assume.

What I Check

• Heft the hive – give it a lift from the back. If it feels light, it probably is.
• Look for honey arcs above brood frames. No sealed food = no safety net.
• Watch for wasps/robbing – this time of year is peak robbing season. Weak hives lose their stores in no time.

Feeding Options

• Thick syrup (2:1) – I use this now because they can store it quickly.
• Fondant – comes into play once it’s colder and syrup isn’t practical.

A Word on Protecting Stores

Wasps and hornets are relentless this time of year. Reducing entrances makes it easier for your bees to defend themselves. Personally, I run my hives with the Hive-Five Multi-Guard, swapping the screens as the season shifts – it allows the bees to easily defend the entrance and still lets my bees & drones get on with their work.

Why It Matters

If you step in now, you give your bees the best shot at:

• Surviving winter.
• Booming in spring.
• Playing their part in pollinating our food crops.

Starvation is still one of the top causes of winter colony losses in the UK. It’s one of the few things we can genuinely do something about.

Hive-Five advice? Lift your hives, check your frames, don’t be shy about feeding. A strong, well-fed colony now means far fewer headaches come spring.