[dogmechanic]

I’m my third year but thought this would be the best place to post. When I am giving any concentration of sugar water I use these plastic bottles that can hold a little under two quarts. Big bottles mean less filling. I do notice after awhile there looks like a few black spots of mold get on inner lining of these plastic jars. I just keep refilling and clean them out after spring and then after I have put on for fall. Doesn’t seem to hurt bees. DOES THIS HURT BEES OR THE SUGAR WATER THEY ARE STORING? I have heard you can put in a little bit of Honey Bee Healthy and will stop mold. How much do you need to put on a gallon of sugar water to stop mold . Sugar water does not seem moldy just on lining of bottle. I am sure you all have seen this.? Thanks please answer

 

[AR Beekeeper]

Just put a tea spoon of regular household bleach per gallon of syrup.

 

[Cloverdale]

Agree, I put a little bleach in also. I used to use HBH but had some robbing issues a few years ago so I don’t use it.

 

[JWPalmer]

Also agree. If you are going to feed 1:1, which I do during the spring and summer, add some bleach. I use a tablespoon to two gallons. Another way to avoid the mold is to make your syrup heavier. 2:1 does not develop mold nearly as fast as 1:1 does, if at all. I add some bleach to the storage jugs that get moldy and swish it around until the black stuff is gone and then dump the bleach out before pouring new syrup into a jug.

 

[sheneron]

I used to have a lot of mold issues on my feeder. I started using a small amount, maybe tablespoon per gallon, of apple cider vinegar. Never have any mold now.

 

[little_john]

Also agree. If you are going to feed 1:1, which I do during the spring and summer, add some bleach. I use a tablespoon to two gallons. Another way to avoid the mold is to make your syrup heavier. 2:1 does not develop mold nearly as fast as 1:1 does, if at all. I add some bleach to the storage jugs that get moldy and swish it around until the black stuff is gone and then dump the bleach out before pouring new syrup into a jug.

Agree wholeheartedly with the above - except to be honest I'm a lot heavier with the bleach than most folks. They seem to love it !

FWIW - on one occasion I took an inverted feeder jar (still with syrup inside) off a hive, and then completely forgot about it. In the months that followed a layer of black mould about 3/8" thick formed on the top of the syrup. I spooned it out in one piece like a floppy frisbee, and - in the interests of science - fed the remaining syrup back to that colony ... with zero problems resulting.
LJ

 

[GregV]

Considering that a pile of cow manure behind our barn back when - was the bee favorite drinking spot...
A little moldy syrup is peanuts - goes right back to them.


The honey was still delicious (however much cow dung may have gotten mixed in).
LOL

 

[Eric Walls]

I use a Tablespoon of cider vinegar per gallon.

 

[Ryan Williamson]

A week ago I tried bleach for the first time. The next day my neighbors called up politely asking what they could do to reduce the number of bees in their pool. They said it was about half what they saw last year in my open feeding station! Thousands of bees everywhere. Next batch was white vinegar and now they have a dozen bees taking drinks. I like my neighbors so no bleach for my sugar water.

 

[Tigger19687]

I have only 3 small hives so I make my syrup a couple days before feeding so it isn't sitting around. I had one hive not take as much as the other 2. Turned out it was the syrup for some reason as I fed the next week , tossed what they didnt take with new, totally gone in 2 days.
When I empty the gallon jug, i rinse out super well with Hot water