I was able to get some early bees on this first run, which ran from June 17-30, after the previous two feedings were canceled due to light nectar flow. My yard was full of hives that had managed to maintain weight on their own, so I divided them into two groups of five. One group received six gallons of heavy syrup, and the other received twelve gallons of light syrup. The first three feedings were dry, while the last three were wet.
High fructose corn syrup
HFCS is a popular sweetener found in many foods, including candy, sodas, and ice cream. Commercial beekeepers use HFCS as a source of food for their bees during times when nectar sources are scarce. Unfortunately, there are no rapid field tests to detect dangerous levels of HMF in HFCS or honey. Until these tests are available, commercial beekeepers are left to rely on guesswork.
While most HFCS is produced through enzymes, some of it is made using a process called acid hydrolysis. This off-spec HFCS is toxic to honey bees. Beekeepers who use HFCS for bee feed should store it in a climate-controlled facility to prevent it from forming HMF. It should not be mixed with old syrup or water. These two factors are linked to toxicity.
Unlike honey, high-fructose corn syrup does not contain p-coumaric acid, which revs up bees’ defenses. However, it has a similar effect, as the p-coumaric acid found in poplar sap contains compounds that can help fight off toxins. This may explain why many beekeepers have shifted away from using high-fructose corn syrup for bees.
White sugar
There are two basic types of bee feeder syrup: 1:1 and 2:1. The former is for late winter or early spring feeding. A 1:1 syrup contains one pound of sugar for every two pounds of water. The latter is for winter feeding and is a more concentrated sugar solution, allowing bees to absorb the syrup almost immediately. These two types are both ideal for keeping bees healthy during the cold months.
There are several benefits to using either syrup or fondant. The first one helps stimulate the brood rearing process and encourages the flow of nectar. The second one is used as an emergency food, when there is a gap in available forage. The heavy syrup is used during cold winter months when the colony is believed to be starving, and the fondant is an excellent choice for feeding during winter.
To feed the bees, you must place an open container about a hundred yards from the hive. Bees can’t find sugar water syrup if it is too close to the hive. To prevent mold and mildew, you can add essential oils or Honey B Healthy to the syrup before adding it to the hive. This way, you can be sure that your bees are getting the sugar water they need.
Fumagillin medicated syrup
There is no cure for Nosema ceranae, but fumagillin-B is a registered treatment that works against it. This medicated heavy syrup is fed to bees three times a week in the fall, spring, and summer and contains 30mg of fumagillin per litre. The treatment is recommended for four weeks and must be repeated in autumn and winter, if symptoms persist.
The fumagillin-B medicated heavy syrup for bees is the only fumagillin-containing product available in North America. It is a highly effective treatment, but it’s important to follow the label instructions precisely. A lesser dosage may not be effective. Fumagillin must be used for four weeks. It’s important to apply the fumagillin-B medicated syrup at the appropriate intervals to see optimal results.
In apiculture, fumagillin-B is an antifungal compound that kills the infection-causing microorganism Nosema apis, which causes the collapse and eventual death of honey bee colonies. It’s best to use fumagillin-B in a sugar syrup because it’s very stable in a sugar solution. It can also be used to control nosema, a serious disease that affects adult European honey bees.
