From the founders
Spring buildup starts now - not when you see flowers.
One detail that came up in our team discussions: the standard American recommendation of 1:1 sugar syrup may be silently promoting Nosema in colonies. We break down why below - plus the signs your colony needs emergency feeding, the ratio we actually recommend, and how to tell when your spring prep worked.
— The Primal Bee Team
Late winter feeding: energy management for spring buildup
Most beekeepers think about feeding as simply giving bees food when they're hungry. But feeding is actually energy management - and getting it wrong can set your colony back for the entire season.
Here's the problem: natural honey contains only 15-17% moisture.
A 1:1 syrup runs about 50% water - three times more moisture than honey.
When you feed dilute syrup, you're asking bees to waste energy evaporating all that excess water. Worse, the extra moisture creates conditions where Nosema ceranae - a gut parasite that shortens bee lifespan - can take hold.
We recommend 80% sugar, 20% water for standard feeding - roughly 4:1 by weight. This concentration requires less energy for bees to process, doesn't promote gut disease, and provides more building material for wax production.
How do you know if your colony needs feeding right now?
Tilt the hive gently from the back.
If it feels noticeably lighter than it did in fall, it's time.
Other warning signs: bees clustered at the very top of the frames, no flight activity on warm days, or - worst case - dead bees with their heads stuck in empty cells.
🚨 PSA: “Save the Bees” needed an asterisk.
🌼 One kid, one hive, one ordinance later.
🐝📿 Beekeeping, but make it sacramental.
🎙️ CATCH US ON PENN STATE EXTENSION
We're appearing on Penn State Extension's "Beekeeping Around the World" webinar series this month:
February 12th: Italy — exploring the history, modern innovations, and cultural richness of Italian beekeeping
February 19th: Israel — highlighting commercial beekeeping, honey and pollination production, and the nation's global leadership in bee-related innovation
The series is free but requires registration.
Until next time
Everything we talked about today — the syrup ratio, the emergency signs, the temperature thresholds — it all builds toward one moment.
Alex Gamberoni, cofounder, describes it:
"There is a phenomenon that the bees do when they are ready, when they ask you to put some supers on. We say they are 'painting.' The top beam of the nest frames - they start building brand new, pure white beeswax combs."
That pure white wax means your colony has energy to spare.
Get the feeding right now, and you'll see the painting in spring.
Until next time,
The Primal Bee Team 🐝