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NorCal Nectar

NorCal Nectar Journal

Raw honey, honey sticks & beekeeping

Buying guides, serving maths, recipes and hive management — written to answer one question at a time, with the sources shown.

2 articles · page 1 of 1

Beekeeping & Sustainability

Summer Dearth Beekeeping: How to Spot a Nectar Gap and Feed Without Triggering Robbing

A nectar dearth does not kill colonies on its own. Careless feeding during one does. This guide covers the seven signs a dearth has started, how to decide whether a colony actually needs syrup, the ratios to mix by date, and the entrance and timing rules that keep a feeder from turning into a robbing war.

18 min read

Beekeeping & Sustainability

Honey Bee Nutrition & Feeding Guide: Sugar Syrup, Pollen Patties, and Winter Stores

Beekeeping & Sustainability

Honey Bee Nutrition & Feeding Guide: Sugar Syrup, Pollen Patties, and Winter Stores

Most colony losses trace back to nutritional stress, not a single pest. This guide walks through honey bee nutrition from spring syrup to fall patties, with ratios, timing, and the peer-reviewed research on pollen substitutes, protein requirements, and when supplemental feeding helps -- or hurts.

19 min read

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