Feeding the bees.

I was asked to make this post so here goes!!

Different aged bees eat different things. And at different times of the year!! First we need to know the life cycle of bees.

Here we see the very basic from egg to emerge cycle.

When new bees first emerge from their cells their first job is wax production. Young bees automatically have their wax glands producing. Then as they age they work as receiving bees. They take the nectar that comes from the outside bees and they convert and store the nectar in the honey cells. After that they become the outside worker bees that do the harvesting!

When the egg hatches they are fed what’s known as royal jelly. This is a mixture of nectar and pollen. After about three days of jelly MOST bees are then cut off from that kind of food. I say most because there is one exception.

Queens! They are feed royal jelly their entire growing period. The jelly is packed full of nutrients that stimulates the growth for a new queen. Queens sort of require their own post so I’ll continue on.

This is the prize for humans! The sweet thick honey. Now, there is an enzyme in bee spit called invertase. This helps break down the sugars in the nectar that comes from flowers. As the nectar is passed from the outside harvester bees to the inside worker bees, it comes in contact with this enzyme.

The nectar and enzyme are then both stored in the honey cells. But wait! It’s still not honey. It can only be considered consumable honey when it reaches a certain moisture content. Because of the enzyme the nectar does not spoil during this process of being air dried.

The honey and nectar is what the adult bees live on. It’s their main food source. Now bees do not have to have “honey” to survive. Their bodies need the sugars in there and we can supplement those with the recipe down below. I’ll go into further detail later.

Flower sperm! Uh, I mean, pollen!

Pollen for bees is quite possibly the most important part of a hives diet.

Pollen is used to feed baby bees and mixed to make royal jelly. It contains ALL of the ingredients needed to sustain life. Without pollen the hive cannot raise babies and subsequently dies. You gotta have new workers to replace the old.

Now! For the actual reason I’m making this post. Feeding the bees!

Anyone can feed the bees. You don’t have to have a hive to provide bees with a little extra lunch! There are many different ways to go about it but here is what we use.

Above is a recipe for a pollen cake. It’s basically a wet floppy pancake for bees to not only get the pollen they need for baby bees, but the adults get a little sugar for an added pick me up! When we make pollen cakes we just place them outside the hive so it’s easier for the bees.

Now you CAN only put out pollen and the bees will find it. We simply use the cake, like I said, for the added pick me up.

Above is a screen shot of an email that comes from out bee club. This is the recipe we use to feed our bees during the winter months so we know they have plenty to eat and can easily get to it.

There are a few reasons why we feed extra during the winter but that’s another post entirely.

These cakes are kind of the same consistency as the pollen cake. Just a sticky mushy mess. We place these right on top of the inside of our hives. You can make some up and have it outside as well though.

Another simple way to feed bees is using a juice jug. Like a plastic juice jug or even a coke bottle. Heat a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water just until the sugar is dissolved. Then let it cool. While cooking take your plastic jug and poke holes in the top with a push pin just where the neck starts to slope. Then fill the bottle and screw the lid back on. Take it outside. Lay the bottle down where you think the bees will find it and the sugar water will slowly drain out. Be careful of placement because ants and other insects like it too.

Thanks for looking! Enjoy my sausage tax with a photo of Runt!

Edit: well... I guess I’ll be making a queen post also. Stay tuned! :D ?