North Carolina Bee School Practice Exam

What should you feed new hives and winter hives?

1. Honey

2. Cane Sugar: Water Mix

3. Pollen Substitute

4. Raw Sugar

The correct answer is: Cane Sugar: Water Mix

Feeding new hives and winter hives is crucial for their survival and development. The correct answer, a cane sugar and water mix, is preferred because it provides a readily available source of carbohydrates that bees can easily digest and convert into energy. Cane sugar is simple to prepare, cost-effective, and mimics the sugars found in nectar. When mixed with water, it helps stimulate the bees' feeding behavior and encourages the establishment of new hives or assists winter hives in sustaining their population during periods when natural food sources are scarce. In the context of winter feeding, using this mix helps ensure that bees have enough resources to survive the cold months when foraging is not possible, thus preventing starvation. The simple chemistry of the cane sugar solution is also less likely to introduce pathogens compared to natural honeys, making it a safer choice for feeding bees, particularly new colonies that may not yet have established strong immune systems. While honey is a natural food source for bees, it is generally not advisable to feed new hives with honey from other colonies due to the risk of disease transmission. Pollen substitutes can help with protein intake but are not a primary food source; they mainly support brood rearing. Raw sugar, while an option, may not dissolve