Not sure what "a cap full" is. Dont feed it straight. The correct rate is a tps per quart.

 

Thanks. Teaspoon per quart?

 

That looks like the essential oils recipe, it is not clear if it is the same as the product called Honey-B-Healthy. If (big IF) it is the same then they indicate 4tsp. (teaspoons, adds up to 20ml) per quart of 1:1 sugar:water mix.

In any case, I don't think there has actually been a study on what concentration to use. Anecdotally it has even been used straight by some beeks.

When I use the essential oils recipe I use 1/8th of a cup per gallon (1/4 cup for my 2 gallon feed bucket). At that concentration it smells great and my bees seem to love it. They detect it from a distance, follow me around when I have the feed bucket, and I have not observed any ill effects. Here is what I observed when I first started trying some essential oils.

 

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1 cup = 16 tablespoons

Using a 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) of essential oil mix per gallon of syrup is equivalent to 1 1/2 teaspoons per quart of syrup.

Honey-B-Healthy dosage rates run from 1 teaspoon to 4 teaspoons per quart. See http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/honeyBhlth.htm

--DeeAnna

 

It isn't 4 tsp per quart it is only one. This is the link to the feed rates. These esentual oils are toxic to the bee's at high rates
http://www.rnoel.50megs.com/john/index.html
I use this home made recipe and dont get analitical about it. I mix up syrup and just dump in a splash. It doesn't take very much

 

Here is my Homemade HBH recipe and results.

recipe:
http://dchoneybees.blogspot.com/2011/03/test-run-of-homemade-honey-bee-healthy.html

results to date:
http://dchoneybees.blogspot.com/2011/03/jury-still-out-on-homemade-honey-bee.html

 

"...It isn't 4 tsp per quart it is only one...."

Um, well, I respectfully offer this: I do agree that 1 tsp of Honey B Healthy is the "usual" dosage, but the makers definitely do suggest higher dosages for specific situations.

If you read down the page you sourced (http://www.rnoel.50megs.com/john/index.html), you will read dosage recomendations of 1 tsp, 2 tsp, and 4 tsp of HBH per quart of syrup, depending on the situation you are dealing with.

This source also states "...Two teaspoonfuls in a quart of 1:1 sugar syrup delivers a total of one cc of both essential oils..." That is a nice tidbit to know for those wanting to use a "homebrew" version of HBH.

The University of West Virginia extension article that I referenced (http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/honeyBhlth.htm) was written by Amrine & Noel, the developers of HBH. This article states:

"We add 1 teaspoonful of HBH (ca 5 ml) to a quart of 1:1 sugar syrup in order to stimulate brood rearing, pollen collection and to initiate early spring development...

"We add 2 teaspoonfuls of HBH (ca 10 ml) to a quart of 1:1 sugar syrup in order to improve the health of the colony, in casees of dysentery, PMS, chalk brood or other ailments....

"We add 4 teaspoonfuls of HBH (ca 20 ml) to a quart of 1:1 sugar syrup when we introduce queens, treat with formic acid or cause other disruptive disturbances to the hive...."

So iin summary, 1 teaspoon of HBH per quart of syrup is the norm, but as much as 4 teaspoons of HBH per quart would be a strong but not lethal dose of HBH.

--DeeAnna

 

The label indicates 4tsp per quart for drenches and 1tsp per quart for regular feeding. Here is the label for HBH.

Note that this is probably not the exact same recipe as the essential oils recipe, here is some info on someone trying to get closer to the HBH recipe. Not that I recommend the second recipe, just pointing out that we cannot say the essential oils recipe is the same as HBH from anything I've seen.

 

Has anyone tried any other emulsifiers besides lecithin? I saw somewhere that Honey has been used, it just takes longer. Looking up emulsifiers, I saw that honey and egg yolk were two of the most common. Yolks actually contain lecithin. I think I'm going to try to use some other emulsifiers just to see what else is out there.

 

I thought about this and yes. Egg yolks contain lecithin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_lecithin
The HBH recipe must be older than soybean production in the US.
Someone with one of them old books from the 1800's...look up the HBH recipe from back then PLEASE!

 

Hey Dodgerdoob, did you try other emulcifiers? What did you find?

 

Tried honey without much success. Never tried yolk. I've been using lecithin, but not the granules. I got some liquid form for soap making that doesn't incorporate too well. Now I have some capsules from CVS that seem to work really well.

 

Capsules from CVS!!!
That is the info I was looking for, missed it first time thru.
THANKS!

 

Ok I couldn't find lemongrass oil for nothing but I found lemon oil...

So while searching the differences I found this...

" DIFFERENCES Lemon and lemongrass oils differ in a few ways as well. Lemon oil is used for bug bites, while lemongrass is used to repel insects. Like lemon juice, lemon essential oil is commonly used to overcome common illnesses, although you should see your doctor before using an essential oil. Lemon is used for sore throats, coughs and bronchitis, colds and the flu, as well as digestive concerns like indigestion and gas. Lemongrass is used for sore muscles. Though both types are thought to give you a mental boost, they do so in differing ways. Lemon boosts your mood and mental clarity and helps you feel refreshed, while lemongrass helps to liven your spirits if you have a headache or are stressed. Lemongrass is also used to add shine to hair."

Lemongrass REPELS insects?!

Seems like a bad thing to be giving bees then...

Would lemon oil be ok to use?

 

Lemongrass REPELS insects?!

Seems like a bad thing to be giving bees then...

Would lemon oil be ok to use?

For most insects, LGO is a repellent...but it contains a chemical (citrolol, I believe) that is the main constituent of the bees' Nasonov pheromone that they use to "mark" locations for other bees to go to...extremely attractive to them.
Geranium essential oil contains geraniol, ingredient #2 in the Nasonov pheromone...also quite attractive
Lemon essential oil contains lemonine (don't hold me to the spelling), the third (and final) ingredient for prepping. artificial Nasonov, so it should be attractive to honeybees, just not as much so as LGO or Geranium oil.

The recipe I have for artificial Nasonov is:
10 drops LGO
5 drops geranium oil
1 drop lemon oil
mix, then use as needed.

That kinda gives you an idea, from the concentrations in the recipe, of how much each is likely to remind them of their "happy" pheromone (more in the recipe = closer smell), so if at all possible, I'd try to get some LGO...or at LEAST geranium oil.

P.S. Here's a link to one place I just found LGO in a google search for you: Organic Lemongrass Essential Oil <--The only caveat with buying essential oils online is that S&H will kill you; best to buy all the essential oils you might possibly need at once, to save on the repeat S&H (pm me if you want a list of all the essential oils I've personally found useful with bees...and their purported effects)

 

I have not been able to find local supply of lecithin granules so have used lecithin gel caplulses. The gel appears to leave a bit of undisoved gel on top but the oils appear to be in solution. I also frequently add a small amount of honey to gel and oil droplets before adding to sryup.

I also read that lecithin is found in brain tissue so maybe this will make my bees smarter.

 

Very cool thanks for the info!

So for the Honey B Healthy Homemade recipe... Can I subtitute Lemon Oil for the LGO or should I just wait til I get LGO? I get my 1st Bee Package Tomorrow...

John... I got the Granules at GNC Healt Store if you have one near you...

 

I'd wait until you get the LGO...the different pheromone-ish chemical in the lemon oil prob. wouldn't accomplish what you're wanting IMHO. I'd wait to get the LGO
A few days eating unscented syrup surely won't hurt your bees any, but using the wrong oil in a medication-like context might...just my thoughts there

 

That's what I was thinking...thanks

 

Does it matter how many mg the lecithin has? I notice it ranges from 250mg to 1200 mg. Recipe just calls for 1/8 tsp

 

The "mg" is an abbreviation for "milligrams", which is a unit of weight in the metric system. It won't make any difference to the recipe if the lethicin container is sold/labeled by milligrams or ounces or pounds.

 

Rader, I realize it is unit of weight. But. a 1200 mg ibuprofen has more concentrate than a 250mg per tablet or capsule. Or am I wrong?

 

I don't know anything about ibuprofen. But I doubt that the active ingredient in the tablet is the ONLY component of the tablet. At a minimum there is likely some kind of binder to make the pills stay pills.

Oh look ....

MOTRIN (ibuprofen) tablets, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is available in 400 mg, 600 mg, and 800 mg tablets for oral administration. Inactive ingredients: carnauba wax, colloidal silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, hypromellose, lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, propylene glycol, titanium dioxide.
http://www.rxlist.com/ibuprofen-drug.htm

Look at all that good stuff!

Just buy 100% powdered lecithin and bee happy.
http://www.myspicesage.com/lecithin-powder-p-543.html
(Just an example, I am not endorsing that vendor.)





(propylene glycol is used to de-ice airplanes and make anti-freeze! )
OK, I haven't looked up the ingredients of the aspirin that I use. Now I'm afraid to. :lookout:

 

Or ditch the lecithin entirely and emulsify mechanically in a blender. I add my oils to plain water and blend on high for about 5 mins. The oils stay blended. Then I mix in more water for a concentrate that I add to my syrup mix. It takes me most of a season to use up the concentrate but it is still blended when I pour the last of it into my syrup.

This is a trick I picked up on a FatBeeMan video and it works great!

HTH

Rusty

 

Heard a lecture yesterday which stated that some essential oils are harmful to bees. One which is sometimes found used by beekeepers is actually a fluvalinate compound. Apistan's active ingredient.

Know what you are using and how it effects bees.

 

What oil would that be Mark?

 

Something I heard said from the podium at our State meeting. I'll have to check w/ the speaker for more information.

On one of the power points displayed in one of Dr. Jerry Bromenshenks talk it stated "Essential oils may be toxic to bees.", "Essential oils may not reduce viral loads.", "Some pollen patties may harm bees.", and "Buyers beware of treatments- Some don't work, others have down sides."

 

Mixing with a blender actually does work great, it's easy and the mixture stays blended all season long. However, I would recommend using an old or cheap blender, as the one I used from our kitchen could not be scrubbed hard enough with hot soapy water to get the smell out of some of the parts, gaskets and seals etc. I'm sure some of them would not be effected by it but....We now have a very nice new blender in the kitchen, and I have a dedicated blender in the shop for bee stuff.

 

Mark if you can find the power point or a recording of that talk i would like to see it. thanks