[BEES4U]

Here's the URL for the MegaBee site:
MegaBee may be used as a Liquid, Patty or Dry Feed

http://www.megabeediet.com/mixinginstructions.html

Regards,
Ernie

 

[BEES4U]

Tuesday, 01 February 2011

I opened my new bag of MegaBee that was shipped to me last Friday to see how easy it is to mix into syrup. It mixes very easily.
However, I noticed some Coleoptera in the mixture after it set for only a few minutes. Their dead bodies were floating on top of the mix. (19 Coleoptera per 1/4 cup is a very high count.)
Confused Flour Beetle and Red Flour Beetle
http://www.pantrypest.com/confusedflour.htm


I need to call Dadant in Fresno and inform them about shipping "old stock" merchandise.
Now I think that the % protein listed at 40% could be lower because of age.
Regards,
Ernie

 

[SoCal]

What a bummer Ernie, might put the bag in the freezer for a couple days. Then again, if you can grind those critters back into the mix, might get even more protein. Or, that's how they get the 40 % protein in the first place. I know that the label ingredients on the bag are quite vague. Good luck Ernie.

Wayne

 

[BEES4U]

The 1st to trial batches are still in suspension and I do not notice any sediment on the bottom of the containers. The containers were mixed 4 hours ago.
The buckets of dry MagaBee go into the freezer Wed. morning.
Regards,
Ernie

 

[BEES4U]

Wednesday, 02 February 2011.
Update:
The liquid mix that was made up last night remains in suspension. The foam at the top remains as very small bubbles.
It's very windy here so I may wait until later today to feed the bees using Zip Lock bags.
I will post some photos or a video if time and weather permit.
Regards,
Ernie

 

[BeeCurious]

19 Coleoptera per 1/4 cup is a very high count.

What do you commercial guys consider to be a reasonable "coleoptera count"?

 

[SoCal]

How about zero. I know it sounds impossible sometimes, but we are dealing with (food grade) materials. Would any of us knowingly feed tainted food to our pets? I don't think so, but it happens all the time. Too me, it's a compromized product. I could imagine if my comb honey only had a (few) wax worms in the jar. Zero is not an unrealistic goal for honeybee products.

Wayne

 

[beemandan]

It's very windy here so I may wait until later today to feed the bees using Zip Lock bags.

I'll be interested to hear how well the bees take it.

 

[Trevor Mansell]

Mine took Mega-Bee very good ,and Im in Florida. I noticed 1-2 frames of brood difference in those that gat the patty and those that didn't.

 

[beemandan]

gat the patty and those that didn't.

Ernie's talking about delivering Megabee in syrup...not patties. I've used patties in the past and the bees take them well. But.....the shb like them too, as I'm sure you know. So, I figure that if they take it in syrup, then I can deliver it that way without creating a beetle egg/larvae haven.

 

[BEES4U]

Thursday, 03 February 2011

The liquid MegaBee will be fed to the bees using quart feeders on top the hives and Zip Lock bags.
The original mix that was made up prior to high winds remains in suspension with out sedimentation at the bottom of the containers.
The quart top feeders should prevent to SHB from having access to the Megabee liquid.
I will make some more postings as the field trials progress.
I should do some grid recording of the brood too.
But, these hives will probably be placed in the almonds.
Regards,
Ernie

 

[Trevor Mansell]

Ernie's talking about delivering Megabee in syrup...not patties. I've used patties in the past and the bees take them well. But.....the shb like them too, as I'm sure you know. So, I figure that if they take it in syrup, then I can deliver it that way without creating a beetle egg/larvae haven.

I first mixed it in jars with sugar syrup ,the bees took it well and built up nicely . As long as you use a spacer so the bees can walk all over it they do a good ob at keeping the beetles at bay.

 

[beemandan]

The quart top feeders should prevent to SHB from having access to the Megabee liquid.

My thinking exactly.
I also think the ziplock feeding will be OK. I don't believe that the shb will lay their eggs in a liquid.

 

[BEES4U]

This is a recent video that was made at 3:30 PM today, 02/03/11.



It shows the Zip Lock Bag in place on the top bars of a five frame nuc.



The cups used are 18 ounce, 532 ml, plastic. Two of the cups were filled to within an inch of the rim, poured into the bag, partially sealed, pushed down to exclude most of the air in the bag, sealed, placed over the bees with the top of the bag folded over so that the bag fits under the feed rim, small cuts in the bag was done using a utility knife, the feed rim cover was replaced and the video was made about eight minutes later.



Regards,
Ernie

 

[Specialkayme]

Looks like they are taking to it nicely.

I'm interested to see how it turns out.

 

[BEES4U]

Friday, 04 February 2011
I plan posting another video or images as the field trials progress.

I checked the colonies, 5 frame nucs, at 9:45 AM this morning and made a follow up video of their progress and I will try to post it later tonight.
I posted the video of yesterdays feeding in the photos/video section.

One of the hives nearly consumed the MegaBee liquid over night! It has about 1/4 cup of the material left in the bag.

Regards,
Ernie

 

[BEES4U]

Sunday, 06 February 2011

The Megabee liquid that was fed is now consumed.
The bees drained the bags probably by 02/5/11
Ernie

 

[beemandan]

Thanks Ernie. I will be trying some liquid feeding of Mega bee in a few weeks....once the weather starts to break.

 

[BeeCurious]

Are there many/any commercial beekeepers feeding pollen sub in syrup?

Using Megabee in syrup is not new.

Here's a Nov 2007 ABJ article:

http://www.megabeediet.com/OliverRandyFatBeespart3fromNov07ABJ.pdf

In the article Randy Oliver says:

"If I were to feed three 3-lb patties, I’d have to feed nearly 5 gallons of MegaBee syrup to give the bees the same amount of protein. Clearly, feeding MegaBee as liquid adds substantial protein to the colony. But unless you’re really trying to add weight to the hive for winter stores, you may wish to feed at least some of the product in patty form (this also appeared to give the best results in field trials)."

Interested beekeepers may want to visit Advice from Dr. Wardell

 

[BEES4U]

Monday, 07 February 2011

Re: Using Megabee in syrup is not new.

I/we know that the liquid feeding is not new.

However, I wanted to test the application of liquid MegaBee using a Zip Lock bag as the mechanisim of delivery.
The 16 colonies that were fed Megabee as per lable instructions consumed their feeding leaving a small residue on the inside of the bag.

Regards,
Ernie