Hello Mike & All,
Mike said:
Cornstarch is a waste product for a bee's digestive system (I think) and if
the bees are confined where they can't fly, this can then cause dysentery.

We have been told the above for many years. There is also honey which the
bees gather which has been shown as poor for the bees to winter on. However
from my experience if the bees are fed a syrup to mix with the honey little
dysentery is seen.

I think the key is the amount of feed with starch and time of year ( bees
able to fly at times).

I have feed plenty of Domino brand icing sugar in spring without problems
but would hesitate to feed for over winter feed. When I was deciding if to
feed the pallet of icing sugar (with starch) I called several researchers
and they said no. I advertised the bags and sold one bag to a lady making
cakes. I finally decided to feed the other 49 bags. No problems.

I had an account at a freight damage place and bought all the damaged sugar.
I would have passed if I had known the sugar was icing sugar with starch but
not wanting to lose the account took the Domino sugar.

bob

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