Vinegar keeps 1:1 syrup from fermenting?

[Mark Johnson]

Bees will take syrup that has acids like vinegar or lemon juice added to it? Just want to confirm something Michael Bush said a few posts ago. Anybody else use this to keep fermentation away?

I got my first hivetop feeders last fall from Brushy Mtn and was using them with 2:1 syrup and HBH -- first time I used either HBH or that type of feeder. Next time I checked 'em, there was about a teacup of dead bees in each feeder (all three). I didn't know whether this was normal drowning attrition or too much HBH or what. I do like them better than pails and extra empty deeps, but I am not sure what went wrong. Is this a normal number to see drowned? I sure hate thinking that is the price of keeping the syrup on them.

[Michael Bush]

>Bees will take syrup that has acids like vinegar or lemon juice added to it? Just want to confirm something Michael Bush said a few posts ago. Anybody else use this to keep fermentation away?

Some people use cider vinegar and some use lemon juice. Most essential oils also keep it from fermenting. I don't use any of these, but have considered the possibility. I have used wintergreen oil and HBH and both kept it from fermenting.

>I got my first hivetop feeders last fall from Brushy Mtn and was using them with 2:1 syrup and HBH -- first time I used either HBH or that type of feeder. Next time I checked 'em, there was about a teacup of dead bees in each feeder (all three). I didn't know whether this was normal drowning attrition or too much HBH or what.

Hard to say. The first thing I do with Brushy Mts feeters is put some #8 hardware cloth on to cover the top from the entrance to the feed and down into the syrup to make a d.a.m. (get censured it without the periods) that only lets the bees into the first 3/8" of the feeder. They crawl down the wire into the syrup and back out. Not many drown and I can fill the feeder from the top without facing any bees.

>I do like them better than pails and extra empty deeps, but I am not sure what went wrong. Is this a normal number to see drowned? I sure hate thinking that is the price of keeping the syrup on them.

It's the price of keeping syrup on them. At least with that kind of feeder.