Collection: Bee Feed

It depends on the time of year. Use sugar syrup in late summer and early autumn, while it's still warm enough for bees to take it down and store it. Switch to fondant once the weather turns cold, as bees can't process syrup in low temperatures but can take fondant slowly from above the cluster.

Most UK beekeepers feed syrup from late August to the end of September, once the honey is off, so the bees can store it before the cold sets in. Fondant goes on from around November through to early spring if stores look light. Thin syrup can also help a colony build up in spring if stores run low.

As a rough guide, a full-size colony in the UK needs around 18–20kg of stores to get through winter. Heft the hive or check the frames in early autumn, and feed the difference. Keep checking every 2 to 3 weeks on warmer days through winter and top up with fondant if needed.

For autumn feeding (thick syrup, often called 2:1), mix 1kg sugar with 630ml warm water. For spring (thin syrup, often called 1:1), mix 1kg sugar with 1.26 litres warm water. Use warm, not boiling, water and stir until clear. Feed in the evening and avoid spills to reduce robbing.

No. Only use white granulated sugar. Brown and raw sugars contain substances bees can't digest well, which can cause dysentery in the hive.

Cut the block into manageable chunks and wrap each one in cling film or a freezer bag so it doesn't dry out. Cut a slit in the wrapping and place it cut side down over the feed hole in the crown board, ideally right above the cluster. In very cold weather you can place it on the top bars with an eke for space, but remove the eke in spring.

One 12.5kg block will usually feed several colonies through a top-up, as you cut it into chunks for each hive. Wrapped fondant keeps well, so many beekeepers buy enough for the whole winter in one go. Each parcel holds up to 2 blocks for one £4.95 delivery charge.

Bee feed is heavy, so it ships separately from your other items with DPD Next Day. Delivery is £4.95 per 30kg, which is up to 2 fondant blocks or one 25kg bag of sugar per parcel. We deliver bee feed to England, Wales and Scotland only, not Northern Ireland.