What is megabee?

MegaBee is a highly balanced protein supplement that is scientifically designed to improve honeybee health and overall life expectancy. MegaBee offers commercial operations, queen breeders and hobbyist beekeepers an excellent tool to boost colony strength, population and brood productions resulting in a more effective pollination season and higher honey yields.

OUR STORY

In 2002 we began work on a dietary supplement for honeybees that would strengthen and improve longevity. Instead of telling the bees what to eat, we asked them what they preferred. After dozens of preference trials we arrived at a product that was not only perfectly balanced, but also something the bees loved. Since that point we have built our company on research and quality beekeeper feedback.

OUR GOAL AT MEGABEE

Our goal is quite simple, make honeybees healthier. It may seem obvious but in an era of pests, parasites, pathogens, and pesticides we think honeybees could use some help. All of these contribute to the shortening of the honey bee’s lifespan. Did you know that making a nurse bee have to come out of the hive even one day before it is physiologically ready to is enough to cause a hive to collapse? That is why we at MegaBee strive to get the honeybee as healthy as possible, and living longer, 20% longer. Needless to say, we can get hives to do better than just survive. We can get them to thrive.

WHAT MAKES MEGABEE DIFFERENT

At MegaBee we believe that your bees deserve the best. That is why we only source the finest natural ingredients for our products. MegaBee also undergoes a state-of-the-art milling process, giving it the smallest particle size of any product on the market. In fact, a grain of MegaBee is about half the size of a pollen grain. Why is this important? Reducing the particle size increases the product’s surface area which allows the nutrition to be more bioavailable to the honeybee. Combine our particle size with a product that is optimally pH balanced for the bee gut, non-soy based, and blended with all 10 essential amino acids in proper ratios and you have a product that builds some serious brood.

Why does Megabee avoid Soy Flour?

Have you ever fed a protein supplement that appeared to be helping, only to see your hives plateau a few weeks later? We hear this from beekeepers all the time. The reason often lies in the ingredients these products use to mimic the nutrition found in natural pollen, one of those being soy flour.

Soy flour contains two types of sugars (stachyose & raffinose) that are actually toxic to bees as well as something called a trypsin inhibitor, which blocks the honeybees ability to break down proteins. Essentially, your bees get a short boost from the feed, but soy flour eventually ends up dragging them backwards.

WHY DOES MEGABEE AVOID EGG PROTEIN?

Egg protein is another commonly used product in bee feeds that has been shown to hurt more than help. This is because the albumen in eggs contains avidin, a protein that binds biotin and makes it unavailable to the developing larva. Biotin is a vitamin B complex that is essential for growth and development in animals and insects. Several studies have been done where egg products were put into insect diets and they slowed or stopped growth all together.

mixing instructions

click on the desired product for mixing information

Patty

Liquid

Candyboard

MegaBee Patty Mixing Guide

Patty Making Tips:

Patties are best made using a type of heavy syrup (HFCS, heavy sucrose syrup, or 50/50 blend).

Heavy syrup can also be made using 2:1 sugar to water.

For firm patties (ready to feed right away) follow the instructions and if desired add 4% oil for more moisture. Corn or canola are best.

If a softer patty is desired, increase the amount of syrup to 1.25 lbs. per 1 lb. of MegaBee.

If the patties appear thin, allow them to sit overnight as the MegaBee powder is intended to absorb and maintain moisture.

Position the patties as near to the brood cluster as possible. Many beekeepers place the patties between the brood chambers to optimize availability for feeding the brood.

MegaBee Powder	Heavy Syrup	Total Patty Material
1 Pound	1 Pound	2 Pounds
5 Pounds	5 Pounds	10 Pounds
40 Pounds	40 Pounds	80 Pounds
80 Pounds	80 Pounds	160 Pounds
120 Pounds	120 Pounds	240 Pounds
160 Pounds	160 Pounds	320 Pounds
200 Pounds	200 Pounds	400 Pounds

MegaBee Liquid Mixing Guide

MegaBee Liquid:

Mix together MegaBee and heavy syrup using a paint mixer or a large spoon; making sure that all powder goes in solution. MegaBee liquid needs to be mixed throughly in order to stay in suspension. The final product may have a few clumps.

The recipe is rather simple. For every pound of MegaBee powder, add 2 gallons of heavy syrup.

Number Of Bags	MegaBee Powder	Heavy Syrup
1	1 Pound	2 Gallons
1	5 Pounds	10 Gallons
1	40 Pounds	80 Gallons
2	80 Pounds	160 Gallons
3	120 Pounds	240 Gallons
4	160 Pounds	320 Gallons
5	200 Pounds	400 Gallons

MegaBee Candyboard Mixing Guide

Candyboards have been used for years by beekeepers to provide extra sugar to colonies throughout the winter. What we have done is simply added protein to the sugar at the end of cooking. It can be made into an entire cover that fits over the colony and will provide 10 to 15 pounds of product or made into small pieces (like peanut brittle) that is put on the top bars, either under the inner cover or under the standard cover.

What is impressive about it is that it provides enough sugar and protein that it really boosts brood production and it may be a solution to the hive beetle problems in the Southeast. Hive beetles eat patties like they are going out of style, but candy boards are more difficult for the beetles to hide their eggs under.

The form for the candy boards fits on top of the colony (approx 20 1/4" X 16 1/4" - it is designed to fit exactly on the hive body - not telescope over) and the form should be two inches deep. This will hold approximately 15 lbs of candy board. The candy board lasts about a month. With the candy boards, no other feeding is necessary - no syrup or patties.

CANDYBOARD RECIPE: 8% PROTEIN CONTENT

7 Lb Sugar
1.5 Lbs Heavy Syrup
1Lb Water
2Lbs MegaBee

Bring sugar, water and syrup to a slow boil while stirring until "Hard Ball" candy consistency is reached ~ 255 to 265 degrees F. Take the candy off the heat and stir in MegaBee with a whisk. Pour mixture into a mold and allow to cool.

CANDYBOARD RECIPE: 4% PROTEIN CONTENT

7 Lb Sugar
1.5 Lb Heavy Syrup
1Lb Water
1Lb MegaBee

Where science meets beekeeping

Characteristics and Benefits of the Megabee products

Frequently Asked Questions

I Always Struggle With Fall Feeding... Any Suggestions?

You will want to start upping the sugar content in your hives as the winter approaches. Your bees will benefit from the additional carbohydrates. They need them to keep the brood nest warm.

I would recommend our winter patties, or making some candyboards if you want to try something new. Both of these are much higher in sugar content. Also, candyboards discourage hive beetles.

Can You Add Oil to the Patties?

Yes of course! We always encourage people to add on average 4% oil to their mix. Figure out how big of a batch you are making and then do the math.

The oil acts as a humectant in the patty and keeps it moist.

As for what kind of oil to use, I recommend Canola or Corn.

Can I Eat it?

You could...but we don't recommend it. All of the components are food grade, but the taste is very tart due to the acidifiers in it to promote a healthy pH.

To stay on the safe side, leave the MegaBee for the bees. The extra honey the bees make is for you!

Do Honeybees Store MegaBee?

Will they pack it into a frame? No. But we've found you may not want them to.

Honeybees are rather stingy with their pollen and will pack it away until they absolutely need it. However they don't store MegaBee, they ingest it and begin to build their bodies to the point that they're brimming with royal jelly. This leads to healthier brood and stronger overall colonies.

How Often Should I Put On a Patty?

It really depends on your hive. Patties are a nutritional management tool that allows the beekeeper to balance nutritional levels with their needs.

As for when you should feed, people often put on patties: to boost colony levels, in a light honey flow, before and after splits, during requeening, following mite treatments, or whenever they need a boost.

Where Do Your Ingredients Come From

We are proud to say that we source all our ingredients from right here in the USA. Our belief is that we should provide the highest quality product possible, and we have done that from day 1.

Is MegaBee Soy Based?

No way. Rest assured--MegaBee is a non-soy based product. To be honest, there are just too many red flags with soy.

For one, soy products contain "trypsin inhibitors," anti-feeding agents found in soy flour that have been found to stunt bee development. Not to mention, soy contains a sugar called stachyose, which is toxic to bees.

Is Particle Size Really Important?

We swear by particle size. Think about it:

A smaller particle size means more surface area, which means the bees can metabolize the proteins faster.

Believe it or not, a grain of MegaBee is half the size of a pollen grain and has nearly 4X the surface area!

Will MegaBee Go Bad?

No. MegaBee was built with various stabilize to ensure that your patties stay moist and your liquids stay mixed.

As for your dry powder or pre-made patties, keep everything in a cool dry place and you will be fine.

What If I "Mess-Up" My Patties?

Rest assured, patties can be fixed.

If they turn out too runny: Let them sit a day or two. MegaBee powder will continue to absorb moisture over time. If after a day they are still runny, add a little MegaBee or powdered sugar and remix.

If they turn out hard: Try adding some syrup or a little oil...just don't overdo it. MegaBee has 4% lipids already.

Why Did the Patties I Made Dry Out?

Did you use a heavy syrup when mixing? If you just used sugar and water, try dissolving the sugar in warm water before mixing in the MegaBee--this will help.

Also, try adding either oil or some type of fructose-based syrup. Fructose acts as a humectant whereas common sugar (sucrose) can be very drying.

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