"Iron has a positive influence on the individual bees and on the bee colony
if, and only if, the iron is administered in the correct quantities, in the
correct manner and  at the correct time."
http://www.science-in-water.com/us/bees/administering-iron.html

They state this but do not give any measurements. It is possible the research
hypothesis gives amounts but it is in Dutch, there are links to the hypothesis
on the above page. Any translators out there? I wonder how many people will
start putting products like Geritol in syrup without the proper information.

It also states "Administering iron stimulates mite fall. Administering iron
with vinasse results in even higher mite fall." This could become another
food-grade mite treatment. If so I hope it is not as labor intensive as
Hopguard though it will probably be just as messy being molasses.

I was concerned last spring when a beef farmer came to me to ask for
suggestions to keep my bees, kept at a neighboring farm, out of his buckets
of molasses and feed troughs. He followed my suggestions to feed early
morning and dusk and to put the buckets in a closed room and it worked out
well. He wasn't mad in any way about the nuisance of my bees keeping his
cattle away from the feed troughs, I was grateful for that. The molasses
didn't seem to effect the health of the hives I was concerned I would see
some dysentery.

Karen T-K

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