Summer Dearth Feeding: Keeping Your Bees Strong When Nature Slows Down
As beekeepers in North Texas, we know that spring brings an abundance of nectar and pollen. Colonies explode in population, queens lay heavily, and supers begin to fill. But as summer progresses, something changes.
The flowers fade.
The heat intensifies.
And the nectar flow slows to a trickle.
This period is known as the summer dearth—a time when natural food sources become scarce and colonies can quickly consume their stored resources. Without proper management, colonies may reduce brood production, become stressed, or even begin robbing weaker hives.
What Is a Summer Dearth?
A dearth occurs when nectar and pollen availability drops below what a colony needs to sustain itself. In North Texas, this often begins in late July and can continue until fall blooms appear.
Signs of a dearth include:
- Reduced nectar coming into the hive
- Increased defensiveness or robbing behavior
- Queens slowing egg laying
- Bees consuming honey stores rapidly
- Little to no wax building
This is when attentive beekeeping makes all the difference.
Why We Feed During a Dearth
At Darren’s Apiary, we use supplemental feeding to help our colonies maintain strength during periods of low forage.
Our goals are simple:
- Maintain healthy brood production
- Support strong populations going into fall
- Reduce stress on colonies
- Encourage wax production in growing colonies and nucs
- Ensure bees have consistent nutrition when natural resources are limited
Feeding isn’t about replacing nature—it’s about helping colonies bridge the gap until forage returns.
Our Feeding Program
For summer feeding, we mix a 1:1.5 sugar syrup (1 part water to 1.5 parts sugar) and add Bee Optimal to provide additional nutritional support.
Recently, we mixed up 30 gallons of feed for our home apiary to ensure our colonies have the resources they need through the hottest months of the year.
By staying ahead of the dearth, we can keep colonies productive and healthy rather than waiting until they begin to struggle.
Watch for Robbing
One important consideration during dearth feeding is robbing.
When nectar is scarce, stronger colonies may attempt to steal resources from weaker hives. To reduce the risk:
- Feed internally whenever possible
- Reduce hive entrances on weaker colonies
- Clean up spilled syrup immediately
- Avoid leaving exposed comb or honey in the apiary
A little prevention goes a long way.
Preparing for Fall
Summer management sets the stage for fall success.
Healthy, well-fed colonies enter autumn with:
- Strong populations
- Healthy queens
- Adequate stores
- Better chances of overwintering successfully
The work we do now directly impacts the health and productivity of our bees for the rest of the year.
Final Thoughts
Every apiary is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to feeding. Pay attention to your local forage conditions, inspect your colonies regularly, and make decisions based on what your bees are telling you.
At Darren’s Apiary, our mission is simple: Healthy Bees, Strong Colonies, Quality Service.
Whether we’re raising nucs, producing local honey, or caring for our own colonies, we believe that proactive management and good nutrition are key to successful beekeeping.
Happy beekeeping, and here’s to helping our bees thrive through the summer heat!
— Darren’s Apiary
Veteran Owned & Operated
Cleburne, Texas
bees4darren.com
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