The aim of this study wasto evaluate the best energetic foodforuse in the 21 maintenance of honey bee colonies during the off-season. To do this, 20Apis mellifera 22 beehives were used(with five beehives per treatment): CTL,control (without feeding); 23 SJ,sugarcane juice; SS,sugar syrup; and IS,inverted sugar. We evaluated the food 24 consumption, population development, and physiological state (expression of 25 vitellogenin and hexamerin 70agenes)of eachcolony.The results showed that the 26 supplementation of colonieswith sugar syrup resulted in an intermediateconsumption 27 and thebetter development of the colony.In addition, this diet ensured that the colonies 28 were in a good physiological state,as beesfed this diet presentedthe highest relative 29 expression levels of vitellogenin and hexamerin 70ameasuredamong all thediets 30 tested.Therefore, sugar syrup was concluded to be the best artificial energetic food for 31 use in thesupplementation of honey bee colonies during the off-season. 32