Feeding bees is important. In Maryland the nectar source is only available April through June. In order to survive the winter, bees require a source of carbohydrates. They may not have stored up enough in the during the spring, so in order to keep our bees healthy, we supplement their carbohydrate source so they can build reserves for the winter. In Maryland as a general rule, protein is not an issue. Bees obtain their protein from the pollen they gather. Maryland tends to have a constant source of pollen so supplemental pollen is not required.
My choice for feeding the bees is using an inverted jar over a screened hole in the inner cover. The holes must be as small as possible to avoid atmospheric pressure changes causing the sugar water to be pushed out.
The feed is a simple 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to water. Thats 1 pound water with 1 pound of sugar. This simulates very closely the nectar that they may gather from flowers. We also feed them 2 to 1 mixture when we want them to store it away for an upcoming winter. Thats 1 pound water with 2 pounds of sugar. This more closely mimics the honey that they make.
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