July – August Beekeeping Tasks
It’s February….Keep an eye on your hives!
Emergency Feed – Sugar Slurry
If you’ve run out of fondant for winter feed, sugar slurry provides a great, quick alternative for a feed supplement.
Mix very small amounts of water to
granulated cane sugar until you get a slushy texture. About one cup of slurry is sufficient for one hive. Place slurry onto wax paper and put it in the hive where you would put your fondant (place over bee cluster). You can cut a small circle in the wax paper so the bees can access slurry. Candy or medication shims are helpful to provide space for feeding.
Whatever the bees don’t eat will harden after a few days so you will have to add new slurry. To prevent the slurry from drying out quickly, you can also place it into a ziploc bag and cut a slit or circle so the bees can get to it.
In early spring and times of dearth, you can also apply slurry to empty drawn comb. Do not place slurry on comb that contains brood, honey, or pollen.
Mix very small amounts of water to
granulated cane sugar until you get a slushy texture. About one cup of slurry is sufficient for one hive. Place slurry onto wax paper and put it in the hive where you would put your fondant (place over bee cluster). You can cut a small circle in the wax paper so the bees can access slurry. Candy or medication shims are helpful to provide space for feeding.
Whatever the bees don’t eat will harden after a few days so you will have to add new slurry. To prevent the slurry from drying out quickly, you can also place it into a ziploc bag and cut a slit or circle so the bees can get to it.
In early spring and times of dearth, you can also apply slurry to empty drawn comb. Do not place slurry on comb that contains brood, honey, or pollen.
