High Fructose Corn Syrup

[Butterchurn]

I've seen several suppliers promoting high fructose corn syrup to feed bees claiming it is better to use than sugar syrup. What are your opinions? Truth or myth?

Thanks!

Ron

[Michael Bush]

It's probably easier. You don't have to mix it. [img]smile.gif[/img] Sugar syrup is closer to what nectar is. Nectar is mostly sucrose as is sugar syrup. In theory, HFCS is closer to what honey is because it has more fructose in it. But I don't know if that is better or not.

[dcross]

Cheaper too.

[Foxsquirrel]

I have been told by several older beekeepers that the corn syrup give the bees the runs. However as for the mixing and mess that sugar syrup makes I believe that a commerical operation would tend to lean towards corn syrup......no mix and no mess after the mixing......

[Gregg]

I agree with Michael, if you're going to feed a lot of bees, HFCS is the only way to go (no mixing). One problem with it is obtaining small quantities of it unless you have a commercial beekeeper nearby who is willing to sell it by the pail or barrel. I have used HFCS as feed for several years and have never had any problems with it. Whether it is "better" than sugar syrup, I'm not sure either. It is certainly more convenient to get a tanker of it at a time, so that makes it "better" for me .

[John Russell]

Were luck to be able to get it up here, as little as a gallon, or as much as a tanker.
I used to use it exclusivly, as it is cheaper and more convienient, and it doesnt crystalize in cold weather as rapidly as sugar will.

However.....

HFCS has more undigestables than table sugar, wich can cause fecal issues if your spring is delayed.

I use table sugar in the fall, as my bees seem to winter better on it, but I only use HFCS in the spring, because I dont like work as much as work likes me.

J.Russell