Winter Starts in the Fall: Nutrition for Healthy Winter Bees

Ah, September. Fall is here—right? Well, that depends on where you are! In many areas, temperatures are still well above average, and the leaves that are falling have more to do with drought than autumn. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Much of the country has experienced unprecedented drought conditions this year, and our bees are feeling it too.

Many beekeepers are still asking the same question: Are we in a dearth? The answer depends on who you ask. Thankfully, some areas are finally getting rain, and a few fall forage plants are beginning to bloom. Unfortunately, that's not true everywhere. The big question is this: After such an extreme drought, just how much fall forage will actually materialize?

Because the answer is still uncertain, colonies may need to be fed more strategically than in years past.

One thing quickly becomes obvious when reading honey bee nutrition research: For every study that says, "Do this," there's usually another credible study saying, "Maybe don't."

So what's a beekeeper supposed to think?

In a world where social media recommends everything from bananas to peppermints for bees, the best advice is simple—be practical.

New ideas are certainly worth exploring, but the fundamentals of honey bee nutrition haven't changed. Honey bees still require three essentials:

• Protein from pollen
• Carbohydrates from nectar or honey
• Water

When nature doesn't provide those resources, beekeeper intervention often becomes necessary.

It is well documented that bees need excellent nutrition in late summer and fall to produce healthy winter bees capable of surviving until spring. Winter bees are physiologically different from summer bees. They develop larger fat bodies, store more nutrients, and must live several months instead of only a few weeks. Poor nutrition during this period often results in smaller, weaker winter populations and slower spring buildup.

One of the biggest nutritional challenges in fall is pollen quality. Plant diversity is where quantity begins to equal quality for honey bees. During spring and the main nectar flow, bees have access to dozens of pollen sources, producing an average crude protein content of roughly 20–30% in most areas.

Fall is a different story. Many common fall pollen sources contain less than 15% crude protein. While bees may still collect plenty of pollen, they often aren't getting the nutritional quality needed to rear the healthiest winter bees. That's our "short fall" (pun intended).

What does this mean? Supplemental pollen feeding can help fill the nutritional gap when nature falls short.

Whether you choose Global Pollen Supplement (contains real pollen) or Ultra Bee, both products have established track records of providing quality supplemental protein. The key isn't necessarily which product you choose—it's feeding consistently.

Aim to provide approximately two pounds of pollen supplement per hive each month from September through November. For most colonies, this means feeding about a quarter to a half of a pollen patty every week or two. If small hive beetles are a concern, feed smaller amounts more frequently. Cutting patties into bacon-sized strips and placing them directly over the brood nest between the boxes allows bees to consume them quickly while reducing beetle problems.

Don't stop with protein. Take time to evaluate honey stores.

By early fall, colonies should have approximately 30–40 pounds of honey stored (double that in northern climates) in the upper brood chamber before winter. Honey is typically found in the outside frames of both brood boxes, so don't forget to inspect the lower box as well. Any additional honey there is simply a bonus.

Should syrup be fed if colonies already have enough honey? That's one of those questions with the famous beekeeper answer: "It depends."

Feeding too heavily while a nectar flow is underway can cause colonies to backfill the brood nest with syrup or nectar, reducing the queen's laying space. On the other hand, allowing colonies to consume their reserves during an extended dearth may leave them short when they need those stores most.

When forage conditions are questionable, continuing to feed until a dependable fall nectar flow begins can serve as inexpensive insurance. Colonies can readily process syrup while temperatures remain warm. Once cold weather arrives, feeding becomes much less effective, and colonies are better off relying on stored honey than waiting on the beekeeper with another bucket of syrup.

Remember that pollen and carbohydrates work together. Protein stimulates brood production, but raising brood also increases the colony's demand for carbohydrates. If supplemental pollen is being fed to encourage brood rearing, adequate honey or syrup should also be available. One without the other limits the benefit.

Successful overwintering begins long before the first frost. A beekeeper's job is to recognize when nature isn't meeting a colony's nutritional needs and step in before the bees begin paying the price. A little planning—and a little feeding now—can make all the difference between simply surviving winter and exploding into spring.

Quick tip: Do the tilt test to gauge the weight of a hive. Simply lift the back of the hive with your hive tool to get a clear indication of honey stores. 

By Chari Elam

Here's a video of James and I explaining the tilt test and peeking at the honey stores.