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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Bob Harrison <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:32:09 -0500
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??>I figured a quick question would work best.

In this case for sure as little on the subject other than a bee list.

>What if any are the cons for feeding powdered sugar which has less than 3
>percent corn starch in it?

Are you talking powdered sugar or icing sugar which has a percent of starch?

We only use *powdered* sugar when applying terra.

We have fed plenty of the Domino brand (cake) icing sugar with a 6 % starch
but only this time of year when the bees are flying. Never for winter use.

Warning:

There are some 2000 lb. bags  being sold with a granulated sugar which turns
to a gel in the feeders. The bees seem to do ok on the crap (even over
winter) but I observed what looked like an inner tube of a rubber like gel
dumped from the bottom of drums when stored after mixed. I do not know what
the label says or where the beekeepers purchased the sugar.

I bought some hives from a beekeeper awhile back and found an inch of the
gel in the bottom of the feeders. Seems he fed some of the sugar last fall.
We dug the gel out and the bees look great.

About all I know David. I buy my syrup from International Foods and get a
print out of the specs. However I have fed the Domino brand icing sugar ( 50
bags) without issue one spring .

I declined to buy and feed the gel sugar to my bees and did not even ask the
price but one beekeeper said he had bought the sugar but now will not use
and wants to sell cheap (even at a loss) so he can use the warehouse space.

Send me a copy of the label on the bags (or information) and I will check
around. The beekeeper selling the sugar that gels is in Texas loading his
bees on semis for the return north *or* he may still be sitting in the motel
waiting for a new 6.0 rebuilt motor ( $15,000) to arrive from Minnesota for
his *power joke* which blew up around Paris , Texas on his way down with his
F550.

He said there is a bunch of 2000 pound bags of the sugar for sale in
beekeeper circles but is *Not* powdered sugar.

When sugar prices are high (like now) many try to move sub standard feed to
beekeepers.

I will admit although I wrote an article about possible problems with HFCS I
have been feeding some this spring. The price difference is enough to want
to try HFCS again and the bees look great!

Some California beeks are mixing half sucrose and half HFCS but in Florida
the beeks I spoke with are using all HFCS. What are you using and the
others?
Bell is using HFCS.


bob

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