Before entering winter, it’s crucial to check your hives’ food supplies and supplement them with honey.

While it might be tempting to use sugar syrup or other substitutes, honey is the only food you want inside your hives during the cold months.

Here’s why honey is the best and only choice for your bees in winter.

Nutritional Superiority

Honey is the natural food for bees and provides them with all the essential nutrients they need to survive the winter.

Unlike sugar syrup or other substitutes, honey contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that help maintain the health and strength of the colony.

It provides the right balance of carbohydrates, amino acids, and micronutrients that support bee metabolism, especially during periods of inactivity when they rely solely on stored food.

Easier Digestion and Reduced Stress

During winter, bees form a cluster and consume stored food to generate heat and keep the hive warm.

Honey is much easier for bees to digest compared to sugar syrup.

The complex structure of honey allows bees to break it down gradually, minimizing stress on their digestive systems.

In contrast, sugar syrup lacks enzymes and essential nutrients, which can lead to increased stress and various health issues.

Proper Moisture Balance

Properly maturated honey has a low moisture content, making it an ideal winter food source that doesn’t contribute to excess humidity inside the hive.

Maintaining proper moisture levels is crucial during winter because high humidity can lead to condensation inside the hive, which can chill and kill the bees.

Sugar syrup, on the other hand, contains a high percentage of water, and even when it’s crystallized, it can create moisture issues that disrupt the hive’s delicate balance.

How to Supplement with Honey

If your hives are low on honey stores as winter approaches, consider the following steps:

Use Honey Frames: The best way to supplement is by using frames of capped honey from your own hives.

Place these frames near the cluster, so the bees have easy access to the food they need.

Feed in Small Amounts: If you don’t have honey frames, use small amounts of pure, raw honey (not heated or processed) placed in plastic bags or in small feeders.

Avoid using too much, as excess honey can create unwanted moisture.

400-500gr. every 3-4 days should be enough for them to process and store it safely before the winter kicks in.

Never Use Commercial Honey: Commercial honey can contain additives and contaminants that are harmful to bees (and not only to bees).

Always use honey that you know is pure and free from pesticides or other harmful substances.