The Keeper
A top feeder consists of a shallow box full of sugar syrup that's placed on the top of a beehive.
© Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Feeding
In spring and fall when plants produce less nectar, beekeepers feed their colonies a syrup made from sugar and water that bees can easily convert into honey for winter storage. They provide the syrup through a feeder within each hive or a common feeder that serves a group of hives.
Beekeepers can supplement the syrup with medications that help prevent or treat disease.
