Once you have taken the varroa treatment off the hives, now is the time to feed your bees, with some varroa treatments you cannot feed while this is on the hive .
For a winter feed you will need to mix 2 lb of sugar to 1 pint of water or buy a bee feed syrup.
I prefer to use a 4 pint feeder or a larger English feeder on my hives. Place the feeder over the middle hole of the crown board so the bees can make their way up to the syrup.
Liquid feed i.e water and sugar should not be used during the winter as it is too cold for the bees to reduce the moisture content in the feed. This can lead to mould in the food stores and dysentery in the bees. As the weather gets colder use a fondant which the bees can take down and use straight away.
Heft your hives to check the weight, you do this by lifting the hive gentle from behind, if it is light the bees will need feeding or they may not last through the winter. A hive will need about 40 lb of food stores to last through the winter .
English feeder.
4 pint feeder.