Why do you need spring feeding bees

Spring feeding of bees before flying increases the productivity of the queen. To feed the young bees, the overwintered buzzers need to be strong and well-fed. The uterus sows, focusing on the ability of the workers to feed the offspring. The faster the family grows, the more productive it will be during the main honey harvest.

Types and terms of feeding bees in spring

The goal of the beekeeper is to take the largest amount of products from each hive during the main honey harvest. Mass flowering of plants in each region occurs at different times. It is by this time that the swarm should be the most numerous and strongest. The maximum yield of worker bees in brood is reached after 85 days from the start of egg laying. Each beekeeper decides for himself the timing of spring feeding of bees, focusing on experience and weather conditions. The composition of the feed depends on the task being solved:

• feeding bees before the first flight;
• stimulating feeding "on the worm";
• flight stimulation;
• introduction of preventive and stimulating additives.

With the advent of the first bribe of the family, it is not necessary to feed, the mechanism of biological regulation comes into operation, and the uterus is stimulated for intensive sowing. For weakened families, the task of maintaining the temperature in the nest and flying is impossible due to the small number of individuals. They need help by feeding the bees with sugar syrup in the spring. But under no circumstances do they create marketable honey from top dressing. Therefore, in the spring, the feeders should be small.

In the bee community, as in humans, thief bees can be found. Therefore, in the spring, you do not need to pour the remains of the syrup on the ground near the hives, leave the sweet frames. The entrance should be kept open for 2-3 bees so as not to attract bees from another apiary. The area around the hives must be clean.

When forming a nest spring beekeeper leaves frames with bee bread and brood. Honey frames are installed behind the diaphragm. Bees warm brood well and feed on honey, imitating bribes. During this period, protein feed is necessary for the full development of larvae and worker bees. The importance of protein feed for brood is demonstrated by a study of the dependence of the number of larvae on the composition of the feed for February, March according to Boren:

A further increase in the number of individuals in the hive depends on the first brood. Therefore, it is so important to have a supply of bee bread and pollen for the spring feeding of bees.

Stimulating bees to fly out

The sun is hot, the first flowers have appeared and it's time to put the hives in the fresh air. At temperatures above 10 degrees, bees can already fly out of the hive. After the first flight, when the bees have cleared their insides of feces, a liquid supplement in the form of sugar syrup is used. Depending on how the first flight went by, the beekeeper determines the health of the bees by the nature of the feces. A medication or stimulant may be added to the prepared treat.

How to properly cook and feed bees with sugar syrup in spring, watch the video:

The strength and health of a family can be determined by the intensity of feeding. It has long been known that a strong, healthy worker eats well.

To grow 1 kg of offspring requires the expenditure of energy released by 1 kg of honey and 1.5 kg of pollen.To obtain honey, the brought pollen is repeatedly transferred from one frame to another, fermenting with stings until honey is obtained. Therefore, there should be enough free cells within the framework during the honey collection period.

Varieties of liquid dressings

As soon as the bee has tasted the syrup, it is tempted to fly out of the hive. Therefore, liquid top dressing is given in steady weather and only in a warm form. This could be:

• sugar syrup of various concentrations;
• sugar syrup with the addition of stimulants;
• sugar syrup with the addition of vitamins or medicines.

All beekeepers feed the bees with sugar syrup in spring. It's easy to prepare. Sugar is poured into a measured portion of boiling water and thoroughly mixed until dissolved in an enamel bowl. You can make liquid, medium and thick syrup using different amounts of sugar. After cooling to the temperature of fresh milk, the syrup is ready.

For feeding, underframe and top feeders are used. It is important that fresh syrup is poured into a clean container. The portion is selected so that there is a complete meal. No more than half a liter of syrup is poured into the overframe feeder. For weak colonies, the portion of bee syrup should be reduced in spring, but given more often.

Spring stimulation of brood with cobalt in liquid syrup is effective. With just 8 mg of cobalt per liter of feed, the brood can be increased by 20%. Cobalt is contained in special preparations permitted in beekeeping - Multicomponent feed additive DKM and Pchelodar. Sugar syrup prepared on coniferous infusion is a stimulating and vitamin supplement.

If during the first flight it is found that the bees suffer from diarrhea, it is required to use the medicine Nozemat. The disease is called nosematosis. To prevent this disease, add 3 g of acetic acid per kilogram of syrup to the syrup.

Spring troubles and material costs of the beekeeper will pay off a hundredfold with a large bribe from a healthy family.

Spring feeding bees with honey - video