Date    11/29/93
Subject Re- Icing on the Cake
From    Rick Hough
To      Discussion of Bee Biology
 
        Reply to:   Re: Icing on the Cake
> From: [log in to unmask]
> A recent truck accident has dumped several hundred
> pounds of confectioners' sugar into my hands. Help.
 
It seems a shame to waste so much sugar, but I would not use it on
my bees.  The word throughout my beekeeping club is "DON'T USE
CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR!"  I believe the reason is that there is some
cream of tartar in confectioners' sugar (used to prevent the powder
from clumping).  This creates tartaric acid, which can give the bees
dysentery.  This info is via the grapevine, so I would treat it with an
appropriate level of skepticism, but then again, it might be accurate!
Anyone with more solid knowledge have any comments???
 
Rick Hough, [log in to unmask]
a hobby beekeeper from Hamilton, MA (just a bit NE of Boston)