A one-to-two sugar syrup mix for bees is a good way to boost brood rearing and nectar flow. This mix contains 1 part sugar and 2 parts water. The sugar must be dissolved in hot, but not boiling, water and stirred until it is clear. Once the syrup has cooled, it can be served to the bees. Winter feeding can be facilitated by adding fondant to the mixture. This mix is a good way to block the queen cage entrance as well.
Contents
Cane sugar
One of the easiest ways to provide your bees with food is by making a sugar water mix. This sugar solution is easy to prepare and store. Just follow our 7-step guide to make a sugar water mixture for bees. Bees prefer the liquid form of sugar water over granules or solid sugar. To avoid the negative effects of sugar, use 100% cane sugar, which is completely safe for your bees.
Light syrup is similar to nectar and is used to stimulate brood production in the spring. The workers will start to build comb while fed on light syrup. In some cases, you can add essential oils to the syrup mix, such as spearmint, to enhance its flavor. Spearmint will not only prevent mold from forming, it will also help locate the feeder. In addition, it will help protect the bees from tracheal and varroa mites.
Turbinado sugar
When using a Turbinado sugar syrup mix for beas, you must place the container far enough away from the hive to allow the bees to easily access the mix. Putting it too close can disrupt the hive’s setup, and it can also attract robbers. In most cases, you can place the container above the frames or super, but you should always be careful not to allow the syrup to leak out. The water can mold and rot the hive, so you should always treat the sugar water with Honey B Healthy and other essential oils.
The sugar content in a 1:1 mixture is the same as the crystalline form. A 2:1 syrup has a final volume double that of the liquid. This makes it easy to mix with water to feed bees and stimulate brood production in the spring. A 2:1 syrup is also useful for fall feedings after the harvest of honey. If there is not enough honey, use a 2:1 ratio. You can use the syrup for a couple of weeks before you need to feed the bees.
Fondant
Using a candy thermometer to check the consistency of a sugar fondant is essential when making bee-themed candies. The temperature of the fondant should be 235 degF. To test the consistency, put a drop of the mixture in ice water. It should form a soft ball, whereas if it forms a hard ball, the temperature is too high.
If you plan to use commercial honey, make sure you buy it from a healthy colony. Otherwise, it may ferment and develop mould. Adding a teaspoon of Thymol to the sugar syrup mixture will help to prevent this. A teaspoon of surgical spirit will also help to protect the bees from bacteria. However, if you don’t have any of these ingredients, don’t worry. There are still many recipes online that call for vinegar, so it is best to check before making your own syrup.
Thymol
Researchers conducted a study comparing the efficacy of thymol and resveratrol in sugar syrup mixes for bees. Both compounds reduced spore counts in honey bees. The results of the study show that thymol is superior to resveratrol. Thymol was more effective than resveratrol in controlling the spread of varroa mites.
Beekeepers should use thymol in their sugar syrup feed during the autumn to control the growth of Nosema and prevent the sugar syrup from fermenting. A small amount of thymol (about 0.4g per gallon) dissolved in Surgical Spirit is enough to treat three gallons of sugar syrup. Bees will tolerate thymol in the sugar syrup mix, and thymol will train foragers to seek the odor.
Surgical spirit
Before using surgical spirit, make sure the sugar syrup for bees is made with pure white cane sugar. Brown and raw sugar contain impurities, while powdered sugar can contain anti-caking agents. Some recipes call for the inclusion of thymol, which does not dissolve in water. Prepare a thymol solution in a small, sealable bottle, and add half a teaspoon to four quarts of syrup.
You can also mix thymol with sugar syrup to treat bee mites. This mixture contains 30g of Thymol crystals and 10ml of sugar syrup. Be sure to label the bottles so bees will not accidentally ingest it. Add 2ml of thymol to one gallon of syrup. This mixture is effective against varroa mites in honeybee colonies.
