Expert Advice: Wintering Honeybees with the Island Bee Project

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Run by three Latina women, the Island Bee Project, a non-profit based at the River Street Farm Collective in Brooklyn, seeks to educate folks on the importance of bees rather than produce honey. Founders Carolina Zuniga Aisa, Brenda Alvarez, and Stacey Vazquez explain how they winterize colonies.

“Winter always presents some unique challenges. Our main focus is the survival and preservation of the species, so absolutely no honey is harvested after a certain point in the season," explains Vazquez.

“We start winter prep for our girls way before you’d think! Colonies with light honey supplies may be given a little feeding so they aren’t ravenously feeding on sources that would be unhealthy for them."

“We always ask gardeners and urban farmers to try to provide late fall blooms in urban areas. Goldenrod for instance is an amazing fall food source for all pollinators (not just honeybees)."

Sugar is sometimes needed. “Jars are filled with a simple syrup with different beneficial oils. We poke a couple of holes in the lids and place them upside down on the top bars of the hive, which creates a bit of a vacuum inside the jar."

“We only feed the bees sugar during dearth periods (times when there’s no pollen or nectar for them to forage), or to help them build up for winter. Never as a substitute."