# How do you feed honey back to the bees?



## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

One of my TB hives died this past week and I have 4 or 5 completely full combs filled with the sugar syrup they were fed last fall. It's capped but doesn't look or taste anything like honey. I plan to feed it back the other hive this spring. What's the best way to do that?


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I don't know if it is different w/TBH, than in Langs. I don't think you have to do anything special to "feed it back" to the bees. In Langs I would simply put the frames in the other hive when you can do that. The bees will uncap the cells and use the food when needed. I'd mark the top of the frame so you know it contains syrup, not honey. And regularly check to see if they are taking it out and consuming it. Perhaps installing them close to brood frames would increase the chance of it being opened up and fed to larva?

You don't have to put them all in at once, and perhaps you'd want to keep some (or all) aside for when you re-populate your dead out with new bees?

Enj.


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## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

Good points but I should have been more specific. I've already crushed and strained a couple of quarts. I was wondering how to feed that back to the bees. I can do what you suggested with the remaining bars of comb. Any tips on how to feed that back?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I'd give it to them in the comb. Now is good. They will burn it up rearing brood most likely. You can mark them if you like.


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## Eric Crosby (Jan 4, 2015)

You could put the sugar syrup honey in a quart jar inverted with small holes behind the follower board. Maybe make sure to smear some on the lid so that they know where to find it. This is for the stuff that u have already crushed and strained. I wouldn't do it till it warm enough to forage.

Cheers


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## Lonestarbees (Aug 8, 2013)

I have had honey in mason jars that I wanted to feed back to the bees. I just stuck lots of small sticks down into the honey, like 15 or 20, and put it back in the hive sitting right-side up. The bees can crawl down the sticks to the honey, and it gives them something to grab onto if they fall in. I didn't have but a few drown, and they lapped it up quick!


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## SowthEfrikan (Mar 2, 2015)

Why not use a plastic baggie with a double ziplock? Just pop it on the bottom of the hive, and make a few tiny cuts in the top. This is one of the ways I have fed my bees and it's worked fine. I also use a very shallow plastic container to support the baggie and catch anything that might spill. Hope this answers your question.


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## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

Thanks for all your responses. Good advice.


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