Recipes and Formulations for Feeding Honeybees

Pollen-Substitute Patties

Use: Stimulates brood production; apply in late February or early March

Recipe:

(Makes a 1.5 pound patty)

Dry Part

1.5 cups (8oz.) fat-free soy flour

.5 cup (1oz.) Brewer’s yeast

Sugar Syrup

1.5 cups (12oz.) granulated sugar

.75 cup (6oz.) Hot water

Mix dry ingredients and add slowly to syrup until mixture is like stiff bread dough. Press between wax paper. Place patty over cluster with wax paper up.

You can also read more here from Scientific Beekeeping

Extender Patties

Use: Possible deterrent to tracheal mites

Recipe:

1.75# granulated sugar

.75# vegetable shortening (Crisco)

It is now recommended that terramycin not be added. Gradually add sugar to shortening and form into patties.

Sugar Solutions for Feeding Bees

Spring feeding: 1 part sugar to 1 part water

Fall feeding: 2 parts sugar to 1 part water

Terramycin for American Foulbrood

The two approved forms of this drug are TM 25 and TM 10. (The numbers refer to the concentration of the drug in the package.)

Recipe:

(For dusting with TM 25)

1 level tsp. TM 25 soluble powder

1 ounce powdered sugar

Apply 2 Tablespoons of this mixture per colony on ends of frames. Apply 3 times at 4-5 day intervals. (For use of TM 10, see directions on package.)

Candy Board

Use: Winter feeding.

Recipe:

The formula for the fondant candy supplied by Dr. Roger Hoopingarner

15 lbs. sugar

3 lbs. white corn syrup

4 cups water

½ tsp. cream of tartar

(smaller quantities can be made using the ratios above)

Dissolve the sugar in water and stir while heating the mixture to 240 degrees F. Let the syrup cool to about 180 degrees F., then beat until thickened and pour into the board ( like an inner cover with higher sides and no hole) to harden. Once the candy is hardened boards can be put onto the colonies candy side down over the top frames. Some beekeepers pour the candy into wax paper lined molds and then put these blocks on the frames while the inner cover is placed, with the deep side down, over them. Make the blocks no thicker than the depth of the inner cover rim.