Feeding bees granulated honey

[BjornBee]

In the book "Beekeeping for Dummies" page 220, 2002 edition, there is a statement that reads:

"Don't feed your bees granulated honey in late autumn, because it can give them dysentery"

I've thought about this and can not understand why granulated honey causes dysentery. I have seen granulated honey in my own hives right in the comb. And honey naturally granulates.

Is there some chemical change when honey granulates? What makes that statement true to suggest if bees feed on granulated honey it can cause dysentery?

Anybody have a clue?

Thank you.

[AllenF]

I call BS on that.   Never heard of it being a problem and did a quick search and could not find anything saying it hurts the bees.   There was a lot say that it cures dysentery in people.   I just don't see how it can hurt the bees.   

[Michael Bush]

*IF* it's true, and I doubt that it is, it would have to be because bees use enzymes to break down complex sugars and those enzymes are proteins, which probably require some pollen which may make them eat more pollen.

But I don't think it's true.  I'm just speculating on what they are speculating...

[iddee]

Add me to the list of non believers. I've removed many lbs. of granulated honey from feral hives.

[FRAMEshift]

Granulation refers to the process of drying dissolved sugar (like cane juice) so that it forms dry crystal clumps of a convenient size for marketing to consumers.  When honey crystallizes, all that is happening is that the sugar is coming out of solution.  There is no such thing as "granulated honey" because the crystals are not dry.  Also, there are no complex carbohydrates involved in this.  It's all just simple sugars, either in solution or not.

I can see no reason why crystallized honey would cause dysentery.

[jdnewberry]

I agree with everyone else on this.  This is something that I've never seen or even heard of being an issue.  There is nothing wrong with avoiding granulated honey as feed, but if you have to feed and only have granulated honey as an option, I don't forsee a real issue with it.  Of course, it never hurts to err on the safe side...

Did they happen to state any references for this statement?

In "The Hive and the Honey Bee", 1992 revision, page 623, it states:
"Some honeys such as aster are not good for overwintering food stores unless they are mixed with other floral sources.  Aster honey has a tendency to granulate in the comb so that the bees cannot use it during the cold winter months and it may cause dysentary."

I read this and came back with "some fall honeys such as aster can cause dysentary and granulated honey is difficult for them to use during the winter months."  Again, I may be wrong, but I've never found an issue with feeding granulated honey in the fall.

[Brian D. Bray]

The only way crystalized or sugared honey would create dysentary in bees were if it were either caramlized (exposed to excessive heat) or contaminated in some way.

The same can be said for feeding granulated sugar.  It will not cause dysentary if fed in pure form or as a syrup, but will if it has been carmalized or contaminated.

[AllenF]

BjornBee, get with the author of the book and get him to give you the reference where he came up with that.