> I have been wondering if anyone has really done meaningful trials.
Several trials have been done, but the results were, ummm... "mixed".
https://beeinformed.org/2014/06/27/feeding-honeybees-honey-may-increase-mort
ality/
http://tinyurl.com/nv8fap9
"[In 2011 – 2012] Candy boards showed a positive effect and honey frames
showed a negative effect. The survey covered all these feeding options:
candy board, dry sugar, frames of honey, HFCS, honey and sugar syrup."
(n = 3600 beekeepers, 233,000 hives)
"...in the 2012 – 2013 survey, two methods of feeding showed a statistically
significant difference in colony mortality, but this time the two methods
were sugar syrup and frames of honey. Both of these methods showed an
increased mortality rate over those not using these feeding methods."
(n = 3800 beekeepers, 557,000+ hives)
While BIP doesn't come out and say it, the contradictions in the data sets
shows that weather clearly matters, and should have significant impact one's
choice of feeding techniques. One would hope that the data would be
re-sliced by USDA zone, or some other relevant "climate" boundary, as a
single nationwide dataset thrashes like Skrillex.
The USDA LeBlanc study (2009) found that outdoor, above-ground HFCS tanks
were a horrible idea. HFCS-55 samples with initial HMF levels of ~20 ppm
went up to 70 ppm and 240 ppm HMF, respectively, when the samples were
stored at 104° and 120° F for 36 days. Bees fed HFCS-55 with 57, 100, 150,
and 200 ppm HMF all had approximately 20% survival rates after 26 days. Bees
were fed on HFCS-55 containing 250 ppm HMF had 10% survival rates after 26
days.
LeBlanc, B.W., et al. 2009.
"Formation of hydroxymethylfurfural in domestic high-fructose corn syrup and
its toxicity to the honeybee (Apis mellifera)". Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry 57(16): 9369–9376
There's also the Diana Sammataro and Milagra Weiss
"Comparison of Productivity of Colonies of Honey Bees, Apis mellifera,
Supplemented with Sucrose or High Fructose Corn Syrup"
Journal of Insect Sci. 2013; 13: 19.
http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3735052/
They review and cite the prior work in the subject area, and their data
shows sugar syrup as the general winner over HFCS, and they made sure of
negligible HMF levels in the HFCS.
There was some talk of, but no publication of, unacceptable levels of
mercury in HFCS killing bees, a result of using
"chlor-alkali" techniques to produce caustic soda and hydrochloric acid
which is then used to invert the corn starch to HFCS. But this never went
beyond whispered conversations, even though finding mercury in human food
made with HFCS was announced openly, for example:
Dufault R, LeBlanc B, Schnoll R, Cornett C, Schweitzer L, Patrick L,
Hightower J, Wallinga D, Lukiw W.
Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in product sugar.
Environmental Health. 2009;8:2
doi:10.1186/1476-069X-8-2.
This was not a result of buying "off-spec" HFCS, this was said to be
"in-spec" HFCS, bought for top dollar.
Most beekeepers of any size have allowed cost to dictate their feed choice.
I sure did. Cost may turn out to be a poor way to evaluate feed, but at
present, a Magic 8-ball seems to be as good a selection method as any. :)
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