Maple syrup in grease patties...

[thebeesknees]

I could use a good recipie for grease patties. The one I had called for honey, but I left it out because I didn't want to chance introducing AFB spores into my hive. As a result, my patties are dry and crumbly, which defeats the whole point.

Would maple syrup work as a way to bind the suger and grease together? Can you make them without the honey altogether?

[Michael Bush]

Most people just use sugar and crisco. Search on "grease patties" and see what comes up. It's been discussed a thousand times before.

[Michael Bush]

And, no, I would NEVER use maple syrup or molasses or anything other than honey or white sugar to feed bees. The impurities won't be good for the bees. Some people use powdered sugar in their patties and some don't. I would just use plain white sugar.

[twlankford]

If you are looking for a wetter consistentcy, how about white corn syrup.

[oregonsparkie]

Ive been told that white corn syrup has things in it that isnt good for bees.

[Daisy]

Shouldn't be giving them anything right now????

They're making honey.

I feed after collecting honey.

Honeymoon coming soon.

[twlankford]

High Fructose Corn Syrup is sold in 5 gallon buckets or in 55 gallon drums in Walter Kelly Supply Catalog. I have heard of many people feeding corn syrup to their bees. I have never heard of anything in it that is harmful to them.

[Michael Bush]

I think the question (to which I do not know a definitive answer) is if white Karo corn syrup like you find in the bottles in the store is harmful. I have fed small amounts with no noticable problems, but I've never fed a lot of it over a long period of time.

[John Russell]

Maple Syrup, brown sugar, molassas, golden syrup, and many baking grade corn syrups will just cause dysentry. During the summer when the bees can fly and void, you most likely wont see any ill effects. Use any of this for fall feeding and your wintering will not go well. Up here, our honey co-op can sell you tankers of corn syrup for feed, so I guess we are pretty lucky. With all the old timers I talk to, they always suggest 1:1 syrup made from table sugar. It has less impurities than anything else, and in comparison , I find the bees take it in faster, with less wintering hassles.
I'd use this in your grease patties before anything else.

J.Russell