As a substitute for the extracted honey, the bee colonies receive sugar syrup as winter feed. The garden beekeeper offers the ladies syrup in a 6kg bucket in an empty frame.

This empty space is separated with a foil from the brood chamber underneath. The foil is folded over at one corner so that the bees can reach the food through this passage. They consider the empty space as "outside their home" and therefore completely transfer the syrup into the honeycombs in the brood chamber. This happens within one day, if it is not too cold. The straw serves as a climbing aid and prevents individual bees from drowning. Bucket and straw are completely dry after being thoroughly licked out.

The garden beekeeper's bee colonies are now completely fed to a weight of about 14kg. They are strong and healthy, the bees still fly cautiously in sunshine and successfully defend the flight holes against wasps. They seem deeply relaxed, can not be disturbed by anyone or anything and are as gentle as a lamb, which makes it a real joy.