Why Is Wax Paper Used To Wrap Supplemental Bee Feed Patties And Why Are Holes Made On Both Sides? Ensure Colony Nutrition

Wax paper acts as a critical environmental shield for supplemental bee feed patties, specifically designed to retain moisture and prevent the feed from hardening. The holes punctured on both sides serve as immediate entry points, allowing worker bees to access and transport the nutrition without obstruction.

Successful supplemental feeding relies on balancing preservation with accessibility. The wax paper wrapper locks in essential humidity to keep the food palatable, while the holes ensure the colony can utilize the resource immediately without expending energy to breach the packaging.

The Mechanics of Feed Preservation

Preventing Moisture Evaporation

The primary function of the wax paper wrapping is to serve as a protective consumable against the elements. Without this barrier, the moisture within the feed patty would rapidly evaporate into the hive atmosphere.

Maintaining Palatability

Bees require their supplemental feed to maintain a specific level of humidity and softness. If the moisture is lost, the patty hardens into a solid mass. Once the feed reaches this state, it becomes incredibly difficult—if not impossible—for the bees to consume, rendering the supplement useless.

Facilitating Colony Access

Creating Entry Points

While the paper protects the feed, it also creates a physical barrier between the bees and their food source. Making holes on both sides of the wrapping resolves this by providing immediate access points for worker bees.

Enabling Efficient Transport

These strategic openings allow the bees to enter the packaging and begin transporting the feed to the colony immediately. This ensures a continuous, stable supply of nutrition flows to the hive without the bees needing to chew through the paper first.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

The Error of Removing the Paper

A common mistake is removing the wax paper entirely before placing the patty in the hive. Doing so exposes the entire surface area of the patty to the air, causing it to dry out and harden rapidly before the bees can consume it all.

Insufficient Access Holes

Conversely, leaving the paper intact without ensuring there are adequate holes can starve the bees despite food being present. If the holes are not made on both sides or are too small, the colony may struggle to access the feed at the rate required for their survival.

Optimizing Your Feeding Strategy

When applying supplemental feed patties, your approach should balance longevity with consumption speed.

If your primary focus is feed longevity: Keep the wax paper wrapping intact to maximize moisture retention and prevent the patty from becoming an inedible brick.
If your primary focus is immediate consumption: Ensure the holes are distinct and plentiful on both sides to minimize the effort required for worker bees to extract the nutrition.

By maintaining the wax barrier and ensuring clear access points, you guarantee that your investment in supplemental feed translates directly into colony health.

Summary Table:

Feature	Purpose	Impact on Colony
Wax Paper Wrap	Moisture retention & dehydration barrier	Prevents feed from hardening; maintains palatability
Punctured Holes	Direct entry points for worker bees	Allows immediate consumption without energy waste
Dual-Side Access	Increased surface area for feeding	Ensures continuous and stable nutrient flow to the hive
Consumable Barrier	Environmental shield within the hive	Balances feed longevity with easy accessibility

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References

Rasha Sakla, Samah El-shafeiy. Evaluation of royal jelly quality and queens production by using natural food supplements in honeybee colonies. DOI: 10.21608/ejar.2022.141398.1237

This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .