MDAR’s Apiary team encourages honey beekeepers to check hives weekly and feed bees larger quantities and more frequently this season than in years past. As a result of drought conditions, poor bloom is expected to provide a dearth of nectar available for foraging bees resulting in minimal honey flow this fall. It’s important for beekeepers to check hives to ensure bees are accumulating adequate fed and supplement hives, as needed with sugar syrup (2 parts sugar: 1 part water) and/or pollen patties to ensure bees will have enough winter feed. If hives have expired and drought conditions are the suspected cause, please contact your local county Farm Service Agency for more information on the Emergency Assistance for Livestock Program (ELAP): http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=ma&agency=fsa.
