Natural Feeding Stimulants

**mrjackcoleman** · 02-17-2012, 05:21 PM

Kim Flottum in her book "The Backyard Beekeeper" gives the following tip:

It's a good idea to use natural feeding stimulants in your sugar syrup when feeding packages right away. Nosema and some of the other maladies are encouraged to attack when bees are under stress: cool, rainy spring weather; moving; accepting a new queen; and inadequate or uneven food sources.

What is a natural feeding stimulant one would add to sugar syrup?

**sqkcrk** · 02-17-2012, 05:40 PM

I'm not sure, but he may be refering to lemon juice. Lemon juice has been described as being effective against Nosema.

**Solomon Parker** · 02-17-2012, 05:52 PM

Could also be referring to some combination of essential oils.

But if you have to add it, it's not natural. Just sayin', no argument implied.

**sqkcrk** · 02-17-2012, 06:03 PM

Perhaps the product is natural, but not its use.

**Michael Bush** · 02-17-2012, 08:21 PM

>Kim Flottum in her book "The Backyard Beekeeper" gives the following tip:

His book... just saying...

>What is a natural feeding stimulant one would add to sugar syrup?

I don't agree, but that would be HBH (Honey Bee Healthy) or some generic knockoff of it.