>On Mon, 17 Jul 1995, Marion D. Ellis wrote: > >> I have observed starving colonies that were fed unrefined sugar in October >> in the mid-west that were severely affected by dysentery by December. They >> were hauled to Texas by their owner in December who later described the >> situation to me as a total loss. )On 17 July 95, Allen Dick asked: >I am wondering exactly what type of 'unrefined sugar' this might be. > >There are many many types of sugar and stages of refining. > >Without saying that the feed was not the cause (or a contributing cause). >I must add that bees that are starving in the fall are often a total loss >no matter what you do, especially if they haver reached the stage of >canabalising the brood and exhausting the pollen reserves that are >uncovered. Response to Allen's question: The unrefined sugar was crude cane sugar. I have no knowledge as to the level of impurities present. I wonder if mills that sell unrefined sugar can or will provide buyers with a detailed analysis of what they are getting in a given purchase or if their processing is precise enough to deliver a uniform product. The IBRA reprints referenced in my original reply may be helpful if you wish to persue the subject. Marion Ellis, [log in to unmask]