Howdy,
I am a gonna be beekeeper.
I am studying as much as I can off the net. and there is a local
beekeeper's group which I will be attending.
I own a homebrew beer and wine making supply store.
There has been an increase interest in making mead lately and
as luck would have it, I met the secretary of the Texas Beekeepers
Association while trying to find a local source of bulk honey.
I have lots of questions and to some extent do not know the questions i
really need to ask.
I get bulk malt syrup in 170 pound drums and 33 pound plastic hedpaks.
This syrup is made from barley malted grain and is primarily maltose.
I generally end up with containers which still contain 2 to 4 lbs of this
syrup.
maltose is described as C6 H12 O11(Csix Htwelve Oeleven)
and as TWO GLUCOSE MOLECULES, joined.
(there are also other detrins or carbohydrates (amylose) in this extract
syrup--about 25%)
corn sugar-glucose- is C6 H12 O6
fruit sugar-fructose- is C6 H12 O6 and differs from glucose in
structure only
cane sugar- sucrose- is C12 H12 011
I toured the sugar refinery in Sugarland Tx. and there were many bees
taking advantage of the turbinado (partially refined) sugar brought in on
railcars.
You know if I worked at a Pizza place, my dogs would eat lots of pizza.
1 Would it be harmful to offer large quantities of maltose to a colony of
bees?
2 In what form should it be offered? as a thick syrup?
3. What type of sugar is best to feed bees?
(correct me if I am wrong, but i think honey contains only about 1% maltose)
OTHER THINGS I NEED TO KNOW
I am getting into beekeeping because I want bees to sting me!
Yeah, sure, right, I am making a joke to make this point,
I know I will get stung, but I want to protect myself as much as possible.
On the other hand, it really gets hot in Texas and heat stroke is a real
threat. I am about to order my personal equipment and want to make the
best possible decision and use of funds. I am interested in function,
quality, durability, and price--- in that order.
If you would like, you could privately email me any recommendations, but
these are the choices I am faced with:
4. hats-coolest, durability, fit
kelly plastic?
light mesh?
dadant plastic?
mesh?
other?
5. coveralls-sting resistance, coolest, durability
kelly cotton?
nylon?
dadant polyester cotton blend?
6. veil- sting protection-vision-coolest-durability
zipper?
non-zipper?
kelly round veil?
square folding?
dadant folding?
excelsior?
other?
7. gloves-sting resistance, ease of working, coolest
kelly cowhide?
pigskin?
canvas?
dadant leather?
light weight leather?
canvas?
plastic coated canvas
8. smokers- good design, durability, ease of use
sheilded?
non sheilded?
kelly?
dadant?
other?
9. hive tool- best tool
dadant?
kelly?
other?
10. what else do I need to order?
11. whose other catalogs should I get?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!
Cheers,
Dusty Rhodes
11201 Cliffwood Drive
Houston, Texas 77035-6009
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http://www.netropolis.net/dusty/homebrew.htm
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