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Feeding the bees in August with syrup is an important part of the care of bee colonies. This is due to the fact that the number of young individuals depends on feeding. In August, bees are still actively continuing to collect nectar. In the third decade of August, honey harvesting, adding insect syrup and preparing hives for wintering are carried out.
The importance of feeding bees in August
Many inexperienced beekeepers, having collected a harvest of honey, completely forget about feeding the bees at the end of August.
At the end of September cold weather sets in, bees gather on combs. They either refuse to take the offered syrup, or transfer the feeding to the combs, leaving it unprocessed. Such food quickly turns sour and should not be consumed.
If you do not give nutrient mixtures to the bees, then after wintering the swarm will be rather weakened, since old and weak individuals will die, and new ones, due to lack of food, will not be removed.
When do bees need feeding in August?
In beekeeping, feeding with honey in August can solve a number of significant problems. The addition of sugar syrup or other nutrient mixtures to the hives is necessary in the following cases:
- to increase the masonry produced by the queen of the hive. Thanks to the addition of syrup in August, it is possible to significantly increase the number of young workers for collecting honey in the next season;
- to maintain the required level of insect activity, which allows individuals to collect the required amount of honey for wintering;
- to create a supply of food for the winter, if the bees have very little honey left. Providing feedstuffs throughout August will allow families to stock up to about 16.5–17 liters for the winter.
The addition of a liquid nutrient composition is important at a time when the apiary is located quite far from places with late flowering melliferous plants.
Feeding methods
Many experienced beekeepers recommend placing frames with a small amount of honey behind a plug-in board for feeding insects in August. If there are no frames, then you need to prepare sugar syrup.
When using syrups, it is recommended to bookmark in the evening, which will allow the bees to process everything and fill the combs in the morning. For each family in August, it is recommended to add up to 1 liter of nutritional formula at night.
In addition, it will be useful for insects if you give them last year's honey. If there is a small amount of honey, then it can be diluted with water, and then poured into the feeders. Another common way is to book a bee bread. Powdered or fresh milk can be used as a protein mixture. If necessary, it can be replaced with a solution based on water and granulated sugar.
Feeding bees in August with sugar syrup
In August, the bees are fed sugar syrup. This method is the most popular. It is recommended to use it if there is no bee bread during honey collection or unfavorable weather conditions. With the help of syrup, brood development can be stimulated.
In August, the syrup must be given once every 3 days. Each feeder should have about 500 ml of syrup. Thanks to this nutrition, individuals will always be active and healthy.The recipe is simple, it is enough to mix granulated sugar and clean water in equal proportions and dissolve the ingredients.
The liquid mixture is given in the evening, which minimizes the number of individuals that have flown out of the hive. It is necessary to remove the remains of the feed and add a new one. If insects are not fed, the level of working capacity will be significantly reduced, which will affect future offspring.
Preparing the nutrient mixture
To prepare a nutrient mixture for feeding insects in August, you should adhere to certain proportions: 6% granulated sugar, 40% water. Most beekeepers use a 1: 1 ratio. If you consider that feeding will be early, then it is worth adhering to the ratio of 2: 1. This mixture will be closer to nectar.
The water used must be soft and free of impurities. Sugar is of high quality. The water is stirred until the granulated sugar is completely dissolved. It is not recommended to melt the ingredients over a fire, as there is a possibility that the sugar will burn.
When the temperature of the liquid is + 40 ° C, add 1 g of citric acid for each kilogram of granulated sugar. As a useful supplement, honey can be added at the rate of 10% of the total amount of the nutritional mixture.
How to feed bees in August
In order to provide bees with stimulating feeding in August, it is necessary to lay it correctly. The step-by-step algorithm for performing all the work on laying the sugar solution is as follows:
- It is necessary to remove the upper insulation from the hive.
- A special feeder should be installed on the frame, in which there is already a feed prepared for the bees.
- Several rafts are pre-made in the container of the feeder.
- Once the feeder is placed in the hive, close the lid and replace the top shelter.
This procedure can be repeated as many times as necessary.
Feeding bees with honey in August
It is impossible to be late with the introduction of nutrients for bees. Otherwise, the food will be processed by insects that leave for the winter, individuals will be worn out. Around 15–16 August, honey is pumped out, nests are reduced and the first feeding is applied. Only brood remains in the hives.
Supplementary feeding is stopped after the last brood comes out - around the beginning of October. During this period, brood is completely absent or there is a small amount. Insects fill empty cells with honey contents. As a top dressing, you can prepare a sugar-based solution or give settled honey, about 1 kg, which is pre-wrapped in several layers of gauze.
The amount of nutrient mixture that insects need for wintering depends entirely on the strength of the family and the presence of empty cells. Typically, insects can process 2 to 6 liters of sugar syrup every day.
Conclusion
Feeding bees in August with syrup is an important stage in the life of insects. Today, experienced beekeepers use a large number of different types of feeding. Thanks to this diversity, you can increase productivity, productivity and get healthy insects after wintering.
