[labradorfarms]

Ok , My Bee's will arrive probably this Tuesday. How do I prepare my sugar syurp for feeding. I know the 1 part sugar one part water... But how to I heat it? And can I go ahead and prepare it and store it in the fridge until my bees arrive?

 

[Bee Whisperer]

Heat the water, mix the sugar in until clear, and if you have some HoneyBee Healthy, put in a touch so the syrup lasts a little longer. It will get black mold if you keep it too long without HBH or something like it. Someone else may have another idea, but this has worked great for me. Brushy Mountain Bee Farm carries it.

 

[labradorfarms]

I got some HBH..... How much for say a gallon? My feeders hold over two gallons but I don't want to put that much because as you said it does mold.... I will probably put half gallon in each hive at first then may go up to a gallon.....
My Bee yard is 15 miles away. So I don't want to be having to go there ever day..

 

[NW_Mark]

Heat the water, mix the sugar in until clear, and if you have some HoneyBee Healthy, put in a touch so the syrup lasts a little longer. It will get black mold if you keep it too long without HBH or something like it. Someone else may have another idea, but this has worked great for me. Brushy Mountain Bee Farm carries it.

Hot water right out of the tap... no need to use the stove. Might have to mix it a few times. I mix mine up about an hour before I place it in the hive. Easy

 

[JRG13]

I use a hot plate with a stir bar, measure by weight, let it come to slight boil let it cool. I use pyrex 1 liter or 2 liter jars, screw the cap on tight right after pulling off the heat and it'll keep for awhile since it should be just about sterile. I also add 1g per liter oxalic or citric acid to help invert.

 

[NW_Mark]

I got some HBH..... How much for say a gallon? My feeders hold over two gallons but I don't want to put that much because as you said it does mold.... I will probably put half gallon in each hive at first then may go up to a gallon.....
My Bee yard is 15 miles away. So I don't want to be having to go there ever day..

one 5Gal bucket.... 25lbs sugar... fill with hot water from tap. Stirrrrrrrrrrr... Add to feeders... Good for about 2 to 3 days...If you want to change the PH add a little apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

 

[DPBsbees]

I got some HBH..... How much for say a gallon? My feeders hold over two gallons but I don't want to put that much because as you said it does mold.... I will probably put half gallon in each hive at first then may go up to a gallon.....
My Bee yard is 15 miles away. So I don't want to be having to go there ever day..

1 tsp of HBH per quart will keep the syrup from molding for a long time. I've kept syrup in containers from fall to spring with no issues with this amount. I don't have mold issues using HBH, or Pro health.

 

[Bee Whisperer]

I only use about a teaspoon of HBH per gallon, and my hives are eating close to a half gallon every two days. In other words a gallon seems to be mold free for 4 or 5 days anyway. I am not sure how long in will stay that way because it is used within a at least 5 days.

 

[dkofoed]

If you boil the water and mix the sugar in it will last much longer - boiling kills many of the micro-organisms and bacteria that would otherwise be there.

 

[psfred]

For my single package hive this year I mix two cups of water and two cups of sugar in a quart pyrex measuring cup, stir until dissolved, then pour into the hivetop feeder. They usually clean it up in a day, two if it's cold, and that way I don't have to worry about how long it lasts. I may make a larger amount later on when there are more bees in the hive, but it's still the same principle.

Equal weight, and since sugar is close to the weight of water per unit volume, equal volumes work fine. The exact ratio isn't critical in any way, and the bees don't care. A little apple cider vinegar helps preserve it and makes it more attractive to the bees, but I don't like to put on more than they will use in a few days since I have only one hive to feed.

If I had dozens, I'd use HBH or vinegar all the time and feed four gallons per hive every time just to keep the work down.

Peter

 

[NewJoe]

Hot water right out of the tap... no need to use the stove. Might have to mix it a few times. I mix mine up about an hour before I place it in the hive. Easy

yep on 1 to 1 ratio hot tap water works great

 

[FlowerPlanter]

HBH will kill the microbes in your bees making them more vulnerable to disease like EFB, Nosema AFB...

Use citric acid/Vit C or vinegar to lower the PH closer to honey and help prevent mold.

Hot/warm tape water water works fine for syrup. Use your empty one gallon water or vinegar jugs for mixing. Store it in the fridge for long periods.

 

[Bee Whisperer]

HBH will kill the microbes in your bees making them more vulnerable to disease like EFB, Nosema AFB...

Flower Planter;
Where are the studies that state HBH makes bees more vulnerable to disease? If that is true, why is it sold by major suppliers?

 

[WildcatBeek]

Although its not necessary, I bring a gallon of water to a boil then allow it to cool for a bit. The ratio I use is 2 liquid cups of water to 2 1/4 dry cups of sugar. I mix the syrup in a rubbermaid pitcher and funnel into gallon jugs to carry to the hive. 2 quarts of water and 9 cups of sugar will make just under a gallon of syrup. After about a minute of stirring, the water will go from clouded to crystal clear. Have heard some people mix 2 quarts to 8 cups, but this recipe seems to be just fine.

 

[FlowerPlanter]

Flower Planter;
Where are the studies that state HBH makes bees more vulnerable to disease? If that is true, why is it sold by major suppliers?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12678685

http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/5/565.full

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0962456201800485

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/grp/2012/457150/abs/
"probiotics retard the growth of the microorganisms, while essential oil kills them."

If your thinking about using essential oil to prevent AFB or EFB, it's been tested and was not effective at perventing either foul brood. Thyme is good against Nosema, so is a good heathly bee gut. But be warned that thyme is hard on probiotics. You may cure your Nosema just to get foul brood.

http://www.slu.se/en/collaborative-...bacteria-in-honey-bees-can-prevent-foulbrood/
"probiotic lactic acid bacteria can prevent the two worst bacterial bee infections – European and American foulbrood."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15279248

More studies then you could ever read:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?216617-Probiotics-as-defense-against-nosema


>why is it sold by major suppliers?
For your money.

HBH also helps the package bee industry sell more bees.

 

[Greg Lowe]

How do the first 5 links pertain to disease vulnerability of bees without mentioning them?

 

[FlowerPlanter]

How do the first 5 links pertain to disease vulnerability of bees without mentioning them?

Essential oils kill microorganisms.

Probiotics are microorganisms.

 

[mdax]

The best way I've found is to measure the sugar and bring an equal amount of water to a boil.
Once it's boiling remove the pot from heat and stir in sugar.

I'm currently doing pots of 8 cups of water for each 4lb bag of sugar.

 

[Greg Lowe]

Essential oils kill microorganisms.

Probiotics are microorganisms.

Trachael mites are micro-organisms too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acarapis_woodi

 

[allan]

now i'm confused I thought essential oils where good for the bees:scratch: