Sugar Syrup
Uses and Preparation

Dual-Access Hive-top Feeder

Sugar syrup is used as a dietary supplement for honeybees in a new hive or during a time of nectar dearth, and is composed of a sugar-water solution, usually in 2-to-1, 1-to-1 or 1-to-2 ratios.  Syrup is also fed to administer  medication in the spring and fall seasons and to encourage rapid comb production in a newly hived package or swarm of bees.  Large volumes of high-fructose syrup are used by some commercial honey producers to ensure availability of raw sugar for honey production and to maintain more control over the honey content and the cost of production.

The following table illustrates when to use the various solutions of sugar-water syrup.  The quantity of syrup to prepare is generally one gallon per hive per feeding.  Your specific requirements may vary.

Syrup Solutions

Preparation
If you operate a smaller apiary that does not require high volumes of syrup, you may be satisfied with making the syrup by mixing up the sugar-water solution yourself.  If so, perform the following steps, which illustrate preparation of a gallon of 2-to-1 sugar-water solution.  You may vary the ratio per the guidelines in the above table.  One gallon is usually the quantity administered to a single hive in one feeding.

A good "rule of thumb" to determine how much granulated sugar you need is to estimate approximately 5 lbs of dry sugar per gallon for a 2-to-1 sugar-to-water ratio, 3 lbs per gallon for a 1-to-1 ratio, and 1.5 lbs per gallon for a 1-to-2 ratio.  These estimates are reflected in the Syrup Solutions table above.

Old, nasty, moldy syrup

Tip: If the colony is weak (they have a low population of field bees) they will not take the syrup quickly.  Strong hives that have little natural nectar source can consume a gallon of syrup in 3 or 4 days or less.  Weak hives may take up to 2 weeks.  If the hive is weak, supply them with less syrup (start with 1/2 gallon at first).  You may also mix three teaspoons of Honey-B-Healthy per gallon of sugar syrup to retard the growth of mold in the syrup.  The BeeCARE Dual-access Hive-top Feeder has removable feeding screens that allow you to clean any mold from the feeder reservoir.

Note: Syrup is not the best method to administer terramycin, as the drug becomes impotent quickly in a liquid medium.  The preferred method is extender patties.  Feeding bees impotent terramycin can encourage the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, since some of the bacillus larvae and streptococcus pluton survive the treatment.  This results in foulbrood bacteria that are very treatment-resistant, which can produce an even worse condition than the original foulbrood threat.

Sugar bucket	Step 1 - Store Sugar in Bucket Use only refined white sugar, as this is generally cheapest and does not cause honeybee dysentery, as does raw sugar (like brown sugar).  It is easiest to store sugar in 5-gallon buckets, as shown here, as opposed to just keeping the sugar in the bags you get from the store.  Bucket storage is better, as it makes it easier to scoop the sugar during mixing, the bucket can be sealed to keep out ants, and you usually have an extra quantity of sugar to use when needed.
Jug ready to fill	Step 2 - Prepare Syrup Jug Use a plastic gallon jug, preferably with a handle, like the jug shown here, or a clean milk jug.  The handle becomes important when you are filling the hive-top feeder.  Open the sugar bucket, placing the lid on the counter next to the bucket.  Place the gallon jug on the bucket lid, which minimizes the amount of sugar you spill on your counter.
Using the funnel	Step 3 - Fill through Funnel Place a funnel in the mouth of the gallon jug.  Use a cup to scoop the sugar from the bucket and pour it into the jug.  If the sugar has lumps that clog the funnel, use a thin-blade knife, chopstick, or anything else you can poke into the funnel neck to break up the lumps and allow the sugar to flow.
Filled with sugar	Step 4 - Add Proper Amount of Sugar Fill the gallon jug two thirds full of sugar for a 2-to-1 syrup solution, one half full for a 1-to-1 solution, or one third full for a 1-to-2 solution.  Shake the sugar in the jug to even it out after pouring, so you can better tell how much sugar is in the jug. See also: Syrup Solutions
Add water	Step 5 - Just add water After the jug is properly filled with sugar, place the jug in a sink and fill it to the brim with water.  If you are using apple cider in the syrup to retard mold growth in a weaker hive, add 2 cups of cider before you add the water.
Before mixing	Step 6 - Mix the Solution Screw the cap on the jug and set it aside.  After a few minutes, the water level should drop enough to allow you to shake the jug and mix up the solution.
After mixing	Step 7 - Continue Until Sugar Dissolves Over a period of about 30 minutes, shake the jug each time you notice the sugar settling back down to the bottom.  After you have shaken the jug several times and no more sugar settles to the bottom, the sugar is completely dissolved into the syrup solution.  The fluid level in the jug will be significantly lower than it was originally, and the syrup will have a yellowish tint.
Syrup Ready	Step 8 - Top Off and You're Done After the sugar is completely dissolved in the syrup solution, fill the jug to the brim with water, replace the cap, and shake the solution thoroughly.  You're finished -- you have a beautiful gallon of pure sugar syrup to feed your bees.

Note: If your hives are infested with Small Hive Beetles (SHB), you should immediately remove and discontinue using all supplemental food inside the hives, including sugar syrup, grease patties, extender patties and pollen patties.  The syrup and patties are a rich food source for the beetles, encouraging their rapid spread throughout the honeybee colony.  The presence of supplemental food within the hive makes SHB control very difficult and endangers both honey production and the colony's survival.  A better alternative is to use an external bucket feeder for dry feeding, in or near the apiary, which may be used to administer dry sugar, pollen substitutes and terramycin soluble powder.

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