Feeding new package, questions

Started by Inquorate, September 30, 2013, 03:52:19 AM

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Inquorate

Is it best to feed a new package with store-bought honey in a vacuum feeder or 1:1 sugar:water?
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." - George Bernard Shaw

Inquorate

Does feeding bees processed honey give them dysentry? Surely even processed honey would be better than sugar though, so if there are no great ill effects it has to be beneficial?
Here in Australia, we don't have much corn syrup (bees store it but will starve) added to our honey, so I'm not too worried about that.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." - George Bernard Shaw

Inquorate

Is there any benefit to providing pollen substitutes like soy flour?

That's all, I'm questioned out.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." - George Bernard Shaw

prestonpaul

Feeding honey back to bees is illegal in Australia unless it has been irradiated, you risk passing foul brood and other diseases on to your bees.
Stick to sugar syrup.

BeeMaster2

Never feed your bees honey that your bees did not produce. Store bought honey is normally honey that has been mixed from honey removed from hundreds of hives, many of which are constantly being treated for AFB. The chances of it getting AFB in your hive goes up exponentially from store bought honey. All it takes is one of those hives to infect your hives. Treatment does not remove AFB, it just keeps it under control.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Inquorate

"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." - George Bernard Shaw

yantabulla

Never feed bees honey.  You are doomed to fail.  It spreads AFB.  Never.  Never.  Never.

moggillhoney

You shouldn't need to feed bees this time of year, but if you are feeding them, only return clean product to them, make you own syrup & pollen subs. Don't feed any bee product back to them, it is to risky to catch disease,

cheers
Honeybees are one of science's great mysteries because they have remained unchanged for 20 million years, even though the world changed around them.

Inquorate

All good now, they've got their own honey flow going so I've taken the sugar-water away. Tnx for the advice peeps :-)
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it." - George Bernard Shaw