how much sugar

[kenr]

With one gallon of water how many lbs of sugar to make 2-1 sugar water Thanks. :confused:

[drobbins]

water weighs 8 lbs/gallon so 16 lbs sugar
since it come in 5 and 10 lb bags go with 15, it's not that critical

Dave

[edit] I'm still feeding 1:1

[ August 25, 2006, 05:23 PM: Message edited by: drobbins ]

[kenr]

Dave thanks I just put on my top feeders and fed today and I fed 1;1 my hives are almost empty and the bees are just hanging out on the front of the hive although they are bringing in A lot of pollen.Goldenrod just ahead but I just don't know how big of A flow it is up here.

[Dennis D.]

I have been measuring by volume. 16 cups water to 8 cups sugar for a 2:1 water/sugar ratio. Should I be measuring by weight?
I read somewhere that this ratio was good for brood rearing and building up comb.

Dennis

[ August 25, 2006, 11:09 PM: Message edited by: Dennis D. ]

[George Fergusson]

>Should I be measuring by weight?

Weight or volume, it all comes out about the same. You do need to get clear on the proportions however. The ratios give refer to sugar to water, not water to sugar so 2:1 syrup would be 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, 1:1 syrup would be 1 part of each, etc.

You've been mixing up 1:2 syrup- 1 part sugar to 2 parts water. Pretty thin. It might be OK at certain times of the year like early spring as a stimulus for brood rearing, but 1:1 is typically more often used for that. The bees will store 2:1 syrup (the thick stuff). To fatten the hives up for winter, that's what I'd be feeding now but if they need a brood rearing kick, by all means give them some 1:1 syrup.

I mix by volume usually, if I'm just mixing up a bucket or 2. More than that I usually go by weight. Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon. Sugar weighs 1 pound per pound smile.gif

[ August 26, 2006, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: George Fergusson ]

[Dick Allen]

I'm curious about the 1:1 stimulating brood rearing. It's something that gets passed along from old beekeepers to newer beekeepers to newest beekeepers. But has anyone actually done any side by side comparisons? There are other variables involved in brood rearing besides bees bringing in nectar or being "tricked" (as some beekeepers think) by feeding thin syrup.

At the end of last season I fed 1:1 simply because it was easier to mix. Just add hot tap water to the sugar, give it a quick stir or two and you have the syrup. (For 2:1, the water needs added heat and quite a bit of stirring.) Speaking only for myself, I didn't notice any increase in brood rearing. At this period of time around here the Carniolans cut back on the amount of brood even when fed thin syrup. This year I've got mostly Italians as our supplier was short on Carniolans. I'm feeding 2:1 now because I'm behind schedule on feeding. The Italians are still raising brood.

[Michael Bush]

>I'm curious about the 1:1 stimulating brood rearing. It's something that gets passed along from old beekeepers to newer beekeepers to newest beekeepers. But has anyone actually done any side by side comparisons?

In my observation it makes no difference. Pollen is the "stimulant" to rear brood, in my experience.

I like 2:1 mostly because it keeps so much better than the 1:1.

[kenr]

I fed my bees the 1;1 sugar water on Fri. and checked on Sun afternoon it was empty so I fed A gallon of water and 15 lb of sugar.Checked today about noon it was empty again so I did another gallon of 2;1 sugar water.How long should I keep feeding?Also the bees have been bearding about all day for the last week or two I noticed today no bearding and they were really bringing in pollen and hopefully nectare.I have fed about 40lb of sugar in the last four days where can I get it cheaper anybody know?THANKS