Feed sugar syrup and pollen substitute to stimulate buildup

Provide 1:1 sugar syrup (by weight) and pollen patties to a weak spring colony to jumpstart brood rearing when natural forage is scarce. Feeding stimulates the queen to lay and gives nurse bees the protein they need to raise brood.

How to Feed

• Sugar syrup: Mix 1 kg sugar to 1 liter water (or 1 lb to 1 pint). Use an in-hive feeder and refill every 3-5 days until natural nectar is available. A weak colony may consume 1-2 liters per week.
• Pollen substitute: Place a 0.5-1 lb pollen patty directly on the top bars above the brood nest. Replace when consumed, typically every 7-10 days.

Why It Works

Spring syrup mimics a nectar flow, triggering the queen to increase her laying rate from a winter low of a few hundred eggs/day to 1,000+ eggs/day. Pollen protein is essential for brood food — without it, nurse bees cannot produce royal jelly and larval development stalls.

Tips

• Start feeding when daytime temperatures consistently reach 10-12 C (50-55 F)
• Stop syrup feeding once supers go on to avoid sugar syrup contaminating honey
• Entrance-reduce to 1-2 bee widths to prevent robbing from stronger colonies attracted by the syrup scent