Why is it better to feed bees with invert syrup?

Invert is obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis of sugar syrup. White sugar (sucrose, a disaccharide or complex sugar) is enzymatically broken down into sugars that are easily digestible for bees, specifically fructose and glucose, which are monosaccharides.

Simple syrup is sugar dissolved in water. It is still a complex sugar (disaccharide). Bees must use their own enzyme, invertase (secreted only by young bees), to break it down into simple sugars—fructose and glucose—before they can consume it as food.

The process of preparing invert syrup for feeding bees involves breaking down sugar. This product differs from regular sugar syrup in that the sucrose has already been converted into glucose and fructose. To achieve this, food-grade acids (such as lactic or citric acid), honey, or industrial invertase are added to the sugar mixture. It is widely accepted that such a carbohydrate supplement has an extremely beneficial effect on the health and longevity of the bee colony. This is because the bees expend less energy on digesting and processing the sugar.

Invert is absorbed very quickly and is the second most preferred food source for bees after honey.

Moreover, the consumption of simple sugar syrup can lead to premature fatigue of the bees' enzyme system. This results in a rapid depletion of the bees' fat body reserves and can lead to early death.

You can find it in all major centers in Kosovo.