Which do you feed and why?
I use regular or granulated sugar because that is what I'm told to do. What does the inverted stuff look like on the shelves ?
Quote from: BeeHopper on May 12, 2008, 04:19:52 PM
I use regular or granulated sugar because that is what I'm told to do. What does the inverted stuff look like on the shelves ?
as far as i know you cant buy it "on the shelfs" you have to make it.. google it there is all sorts of info on how to do it.... have a good 1
don't make things harder than they have to be. i mix granulated sugar with hot tap water. i don't even use the stove. it's fast, simple, cheap.
I mix syrup as kathyp's method, put it in a mason jar or pail and cap it. I then INVERT it and place it on the hive. Seriously though- Aside from the whole invert thing, I've heard (and seen) adding a little vinegar can prolong the shelf life and increase appeal to the bees so if I'm making a big batch I might add a few glugs. But if I don't have to cook I'm not going to. Making an invert syrup is just a waste of time/energy in my opinion.
when inverting the sugar in the syrup the sucrose breaks down into glucose and fructose, the two main components of honey. Since it closely resembles honey by being made up of the same two components it is more easily digested by the bees and larvae and can be more readily consumed. Opposed to regular sugar syrup, invert syrup is less likely to crystallize, it retains moisture longer when used in pollen patties, helps to prevent mold, and robbing is less prevalent when invert syrup is used for feeding. Invert syrup is easy to make by simply adding some cream of tarter or lemon juice to the sugar syrup.
Cream of tartar gets mentioned all the time. But, bee researcher Leslie Bailey in the book "Honey Bee Pathology" mentions cream of tartar decreasing the life span of bees. Diana Sammataro mentions in "The Beekeeper's Handbook" cream of tartar is no longer recommended for that same reason.
And now it's even mentioned on the internet. (So, it has to be true ;) )
"It was once common practice to add cream of tartar (tartaric acid) to 2:1 syrup to prevent re-crystallization of the sugars, however this is not recommended, as it is believed to shorten the life spans of the bees that consume it."
The above was taken off the internet at:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Beekeeping/Recipes_for_the_Bees
scroll down a bit and read it at "2:1 Syrup"
Massive die-offs won't be noticed in hives given cream of tartar. In fact, it's likely nothing out of the ordinary will be noticed. But, I'd personally like to have my bees live as long a life as they can. Why shorten their lives?
I like BenC's method of "inverting" sugar.
a couple of drops of lemongrass oil seems to retard mold growth. also noted that when i put tree tea oil in to treat for chalkbrood the mold growth was slowed. jury is still out on the chalkbrood issue. will have to check bottom boards.
George Imirie mentions in his monthly newsletter (Pink Pages) that he sometimes added a few drops of vanilla extract or a peppermint! He did not say that this prolonged the shelf life of the syrup but did give it a more natural flavoring of actual flower nectar. So, in my last batch of 1:1 syrup, I dissolved a peppermint. I'll let you know how the girls like it this weekend when I do my next inspection.
Cider Vinegar helps with Nosema. Add a tablespoon per gallon. It also slows down mold growth but not as much as a cap of bleach.