A shorter version can be found at
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/the-causes-of-dysentery-in-honey-bees-part-2/
honey consists of roughly 83% sugars (mostly glucose and fructose) and 17%
water. The bees metabolize only the sugars, according to the following
equation:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
When you do the math, the metabolism of the sugar in that pound of honey
produces 6/10 of a pound of water. Add to that the 17% of liquid water
already present in the honey, and you wind up with that pound of honey
turning into 2/3 of a pound (1¼ cups) of water (initially held within the
bees’ bodies). The bees in the cluster cannot allow that 1¼ cup of water to
accumulate, and must deal with it in some manner.
Practical application: The bees recycle roughly ¾ cup of that excess water
into saliva to dilute the next pound of honey for consumption, but that
doesn’t affect the net 1¼ cups of water gained each week that still needs
to be dealt with in some way.

Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
530 277 4450
ScientificBeekeeping.com

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