Fall syrup mix

[RangerBrad]

Howdy folks, This is my second year as a beek. I do not feed in the spring but I've Been mixing 10 lbs of sugar per gallon of water ( makes appx. 2 gal of syrup) for my fall mix. I recently read in bee keeping for dummy's that the author mix's 10 lbs of sugar to 2.5 quarts of water. What say yal. Is my mix good enough or do I need to thicken it? I try to make sure they have plenty of groceries going into the winter. Thank's, Brad

[pembroke]

for fall most use 2lbs of sugar to 1 pint of water. Michael Bush uses a different formula all the time. Might want to check out his site. Pembroke

[MikeS]

Brad, thicker the better in the fall, your OK.

[AllenF]

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,30000.0.html

All you need to know on syrup and then some.

[Tommyt]

And if you miss on the 2:1 do they move out  :-D




OK really what happens if your more like 1:1 or 1:2
will they just consume more
Or do they starve

[L Daxon]

They will take just about anything you give them.   I am sure they don't have little refractometers measuring the consentrations.   The point of the thicker syrup in the fall, if I understand what I have read correctly, is that it has less moisture in it and the girls don't have to work so hard to evaporate it down to the proper moisture % for capping.  The days are getting cooler and they don't need to be flapping their little wings so hard to get the moisture evaporated out.  They have worked hard all summer, give'em a break, i.e. thicker syrup.

P.S.  I think M. Bush uses something like 5:3 year round (forgive me Michael if I have misquoted you.  Going from memory).

[AllenF]

1 to 1 will cause them to build brood numbers as it is like nectar.   2 to 1 will cause them to store it and build up numbers.