Best Winter Feeding Options for Australian Beekeepers.
As autumn turns to winter across Australia, beekeepers like me face a big question: how do we keep our bees fed through the cooler months? Aussie winters aren’t the icy marathons of Europe or North America—here in Port Sorell, Tasmania, it’s more about crisp mornings and cool days—but nectar still gets scarce. By June, your hive might need help to reach spring, especially if summer was lean or you harvested heavily. The options? Sugar syrup or honey frames. Both can save the day, but which suits your hive, your budget, and Australia’s quirks? I’ve been trying both methods to see what works in Tassie’s chill. In this post, I’ll walk you through the steps, compare the ups and downs, and share what I’m learning about feeding bees Down Under. Whether you’re in balmy Brisbane or frosty Tassie like me, here’s how to pick the best winter fuel for your colony.
How to feed bees with sugar syrup for winter.
Let’s start with sugar syrup, a beginner-friendly fix. It’s simple: mix sugar and water, pop it in a feeder, and the bees take it from there. For winter prep, use a 2:1 mix—2 parts white sugar to 1 part water—thicker than spring’s 1:1 to match the nectar bees store. Boil the water, dissolve the sugar, cool it, and you’re good. I use a top feeder in my Langstroth hive, setting it above the brood box. In mid-autumn, I whip up a batch of sugar syrup, and my bees get to work storing it for the colder months ahead. It’s cheap—sugar’s about $1.50/kg at the local shop. The catch, It’s not as nourishing as honey, missing pollen and all the other elements of nectar.
How to feed bees with honey frames for winter.
Then there’s honey frames, the natural pick. If you’ve got extras from a summer harvest, slot them into the hive for the bees to use. The benefit of his method is the bees don't have to process anything, it is already for consumption. It’s full of sugars, enzymes, and some pollen, perfect for Tasmania’s chillier winters when they cluster. The downside is using frames eats into your harvest (less to taste or sell) I don’t have many spares. There’s also a slight risk of disease like Foulbrood from unknown honey—unlikely with your own, though.
Sugar syrup vs honey frames: which wins for winter feeding.
Feeding bees for winter isn’t so tricky. Sugar syrup and honey frames both do the job, depending on your hive and situation. Here in Port Sorell, Tasmania, syrup’s my go-to quick and cheap—though honey frames tempt me when I’ve got spares. As winter nears, check your hive, pick your feed, and keep those bees humming. Try both if you’re unsure; every hive’s different. What’s your winter feeding plan?
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