Question about fermentation

challenger · July 21, 2015, 12:59:10 PM

I use a sugar syrup to feed my bees. I get it from a manufacturer of sweetener products. It's a huge facility and when they get in empty train tankers of syrup they clean them out before refilling. The syrup is from what th drain from the tankers prior to rinsing. I've never had any ferment as it is a saturated solution and every bucket has some sugar crystallized at the bottom. This year I noticed a very slight odor of fermentation. I am super paranoid about fermented syrup. I open fed some to the bees and there is no effect. The bees go to it like crazy and consume huge amounts. I tasted the syrup and there is no odor from a dipped finger and there is nothing I can taste other than sugar syrup. Am I being too concerned?
Thanks

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iddee · July 21, 2015, 01:20:29 PM

You are being TOOOOO concerned. I feed my animals, including bees, fermented stuff. It's good for them.

Dallasbeek · July 21, 2015, 01:45:25 PM

Quote from: iddee on July 21, 2015, 01:20:29 PM
You are being TOOOOO concerned. I feed my animals, including bees, fermented stuff. It's good for them.

I prefer to drink it myself

But seriously, that has been a concern to me, too, and I've always removed syrup before it could ferment. Are you saying we can just leave it for them?

challenger · July 21, 2015, 04:37:02 PM

I think I'm also being too concerned.
I've had many batches of 1:1 syrup ferment in the past. I no longer use anything but saturated sugar syrup from this place. The diluted syrup gets a bad fermentation smell and mold in two days here in the se part of NC and I personally don't subscribe to the theory that diluted syrup, "promotes brood production". I think this is one of many old beliefs that has no science to support it. Even if there was something that pointed to this being the case I still don't wish to deal with 1:1 syrup.
The liquid sugar I get, much like honey, doesn't support yeast growth. I am now thinking that the little odor I got was from some condensation that occurred inside the lid of the buckets. Maybe there was some condensation that allowed a little fermentation to happen. This syrup has been stored for almost a year and was not in a climate controlled area. The lids were sealed tight and I'm now no longer concerned. I've exhausted this old syrup and have started using some that I got a few weeks ago.
I'm spoiled since finding this source for syrup so I'm trying to stay stocked up on it. At $7.00 per 5 gallon bucket it is a really great value. I hated trying to mix my own 2:1 syrup. I have to bring my own buckets or the price is $3.00 more and I get the syrup in some mismatched junk buckets which don't always seal perfectly. I did this one time and now it's always my own buckets. I put an 8 gallon plastic bucket liner in the bucket first and this has prevented any leak problems.
I'm proud of my buckets

. I keep them clean and I don't want someone else's buckets messing up my bucket gene pool.
Thanks

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Rurification · July 21, 2015, 06:29:41 PM

I had one jar of syrup ferment in a hive last year which resulted in a hive full of bees with the runs. Messy... As soon as I changed syrup, the runs went away, but the colony never really recovered. Lost them over the winter. I'll never feed my bees questionable syrup again.

Eric Bosworth · July 21, 2015, 08:07:18 PM

I just feed dry sugar. No mixing no fuss just put it in some sort of tray that the bees can get to.

iddee · July 21, 2015, 08:25:36 PM

When your sugar ferments, throw it out.

When your honey crystallizes, throw it out.

Why take chances?

NOOOOOOOT

RU, you need to look for a different source for the runs. It wasn't the fermentation.

KeyLargoBees · July 22, 2015, 09:23:34 AM

Bees will eat anything sweet when there is a dearth...love the video by JP of his zoo cutout with the green honey the bees made from the New Orleans Zoo snow cone syrup ;-)

CBT · July 25, 2015, 09:16:00 PM

Use honey B healthy and keep that Syurp fresh. You won't regret it.

Michael Bush · July 26, 2015, 12:32:40 PM

I never make 1:1 because it ferments too fast. I never make less than 5:3. The bees don't care, they actually have to work less if it's stronger. I throw it out if it smells bad.

Eric Bosworth · July 26, 2015, 06:11:43 PM

You can give them dry sugar and avoid mixing completely... It also cuts down on moisture in the winter.

JP · July 26, 2015, 11:55:32 PM

I've seen them do fine with fermented honey but have also seen them what appears to be drunk, disoriented & die

Was talking about that green snowball syrup today by the way

The contractor helping me in that job loved it, even with mortar dust!

He couldn't wait to bring it home to his wife, course I told him that technically it is not honey

He said "but it tastes so good"

Whatever