Making your own inverted sugar syrup for bees

Inverted sugar syrup for bees is a special nutritional mixture. It is used to maintain the energy reserves of insects and strengthens their immunity. Thanks to the use of such feeding, domestic bees can survive the winter, because in the absence of honey or insufficient quantity, the swarm can die. You can buy the nutritional mixture at the store, but it is better to prepare it at home using natural ingredients.

What is invert syrup for bees

How bees feed depends on their vital activity, ability to work and ability to produce healthy offspring. But, despite the fact that insects are able to provide themselves with food, beekeepers are recommended to periodically feed the swarm with special mixtures. Inverted syrup is an excellent top-up.

The value of the product lies in its inclusion of:

• organic acids;
• glucose;
• amino acids;
• fructose;
• minerals.

Fertilizing is done according to a special recipe. If you strictly adhere to the algorithm for preparing the nutritional mixture, it will retain its beneficial properties and suitability for use for a long time.

Differences from sugar

Invert syrup is made from sugar. But the main difference between feeding is that the main ingredient, when processed, is broken down to the level of fructose and sucrose. To achieve this, food acids, honey or specially manufactured industrial invertase are added to the product.

In addition, sugar invert is absorbed by the bee body much faster than pure sugar. Therefore, feeding insects with such a product improves their life activity in general.

How to invert sugar syrup

There are several ways to prepare sugar invert for feeding domestic bees. Use raw materials in accordance with GOST, keeping in mind that a yellow or brown product will not work, just like powdered sugar.

With added honey

Prepare invert syrup with honey as food for bees according to this principle:

• take 7 kilograms of sugar and 2 liters of water;
• mix the ingredients, beat until smooth;
• add 750 grams of fresh honey to the syrup (last year’s honey will not work) and 2.4 grams of acetic acid;
• Place the solution in a place where the air temperature does not exceed 35 °C and leave for a week.

Don't forget to stir the mixture 2-3 times a day. The syrup is ready for use after you see that the foam has “settled” and the amount of crystallized sugar has become minimal.

With citric acid

To obtain nutritional mass, take:

• 6 liters of clean water;
• 7 kilograms of sugar;
• 14 grams of citric acid.

Mix all the ingredients and place the saucepan on the stove. Bring the mixture to a boil, then, stirring regularly, simmer the mixture over low heat. After an hour, remove the container from the stove, let the syrup cool, after which you can use it for its intended purpose.

With the addition of industrial invertase

If you decide to prepare a nutritional mass based on industrial invertase, keep in mind that you cannot boil such a product. High temperatures will cause the mixture to become toxic.

Required ingredients:

• 5 liters of water;
• 5 kilograms of sugar;
• 2 grams of invertase.

Prepare sugar syrup by bringing water and sugar to a boil. When the mixture becomes homogeneous, remove the pan from the stove and let the mixture cool to +40...+50 °C.Add invertase to the mixture and mix everything thoroughly. Place the container in a place where the temperature does not exceed +20...+50 °C. Leave the bee food for 2 days, after which you can use the resulting product.

With added lactic acid

This is one of the easiest ways to obtain bee food. To invert sugar for this recipe, use:

• 2.8 liters of water;
• 5.5 kilograms of sugar;
• 2 grams of lactic acid.

Place all ingredients in a cooking container and place on fire. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour, stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon. Cover the pan with the finished syrup and allow the product to cool.

Using enzymes from lower organisms

You can also make nutritious syrup for bees using invertase from yeast or fungal microorganisms. This bee food is characterized by a high degree of breakdown of the elements included in its composition. In addition, its use allows you to avoid diseases that insects can suffer from.

To prepare the mixture, take:

• invertase of microorganisms (live or dry yeast is suitable) – 2 grams;
• 5 liters of water;
• 5 kilograms of sugar.

This feed is prepared according to the principle characteristic of obtaining feed from industrial invertase.

"Bee"

“Pchelit” is a domestic organic preparation used to invert sugar for the purpose of feeding bees. It contains vitamins and minerals necessary for the insect body. The principle of cooking is simple.

You need to mix equal portions of water and sugar and wait until the crystals are completely dissolved. Then add Pchelit powder in the amount of 2 grams per 10 kilograms of syrup having a 50% concentration.Maintain the mixture at a temperature of +20…+30 °C for 2 days. The finished feed must be consumed within 3 days.

Instructions for use

Complementary food must be given to bees taking into account certain rules. Follow them to ensure that the product is safe and beneficial to insects.

Liquid feed

Liquid food for domestic bee swarms is introduced after the cleansing flight. The syrup should have a concentration of 1:1, and it must be poured into clean feeders located directly in the hive.

Thick food

There are several options for such feeding for bees:

1. Sugar fudge. To obtain it, 1 part water is mixed with 2 parts sugar. The mass is boiled for 20 minutes, then cools slightly, and 600 grams of honey is added to it. The mixture is stirred until it becomes plastic, after which small balls are rolled out of it.
2. Feed dough. You can prepare it from 2 kilograms of ground sugar and 1 kilogram of honey, which must first be heated to a temperature of +45 °C. Like fondant, the dough can be rolled into small balls.

Experienced beekeepers also recommend using candied honey. It needs to be divided into small portions and wrapped in gauze.

Dosage

When feeding bees with inverted nutrition, try to use up the entire volume of the prepared “dish” at a time. If this is not possible, then before distributing food to insects again, it is better to prepare a fresh portion of the mass. Thick food should be placed in tiles over the club and left throughout the winter. Pour liquid fertilizer into feeders no more than once a month.

How to distribute

So that the bees can get their portion of food, equip each hive with feeders in the form of frame or over-frame structures.Place glass vessels in them, over which stretch gauze. Above the entrance, the jar of food should be placed upside down. Alternatively, you can spread the food particles over the honeycombs.

Why don't bees take syrup?

So, you have prepared inverted food and distributed it to the bees according to the previously indicated instructions. But, unfortunately, they refuse to eat the food. There are several explanations for this phenomenon:

• bees live in small families, so they do not have enough individuals to warm the family and carry feeding;
• foulbrood or ascospherosis in insects;
• the product is stale or sour;
• low air temperature in the hive;
• an old queen with a small number of brood.

Analyze the situation, consider all possible options and try to fix the problem if one is found. And most importantly, never give insects stale syrup or, even worse, sour honey. Such products cause digestive disorders in bees, reduce their immunity and can lead to the extinction of their entire family.