WE HAVE A BEEKEEPER WHO FED MEDIUM INVERT SUGAR TO HIS HONEY BEES DURING THE
SPRING AND FALL LAST YEAR.  THE SUGAR WAS PROCESSED BY THE ACID HYDROLYSIS
METHOD.  SUBSEQUENTLY, COLONY LOSS OVER WINTER WAS 80-90 % AND THE SUGAR IS
BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE MORTALITY.  THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS
THAT ACID HYDROLSIS PRODUCED SUGAR IS DETRIMENTAL TO BEES, HOWEVER, I CAN FIND
NO REFERENCE TO THE SYMPTOMS OR MODE OF ACTION.  ANALYSIS OF HONEY FROM CAPPED
AND UNCAPPED CELLS IN THE
AFFECTED HIVES YIELDED THE FOLLOWING RESULTS (MEANS): FRUCTOSE - 45%, DEXTROSE
- 28%, SUCROSE - 25%.  THESE FIGURES ARE VERY SIMILAR TO OUR STANDARD WHICH WAS
HFCS 55 (48,28,22).  THE SUCROSE, AND HIGHER SACCARIDE, CONTENT OF NORMAL HONEY
IS VERY LOW (<3%) COMPARED TO THE ABOVE. THEREFORE, MY QUESTION IS, DOES THE
ACID HYDROLYSIS PROCESS RESULT IN THE INHIBITION OF ENZYME ACTIVITY IN THE
HONEY THEREBY PREVENTING THE BREAKDOWN OF SUCROSE.
 
ANY COMMENTS ON THIS MATTER WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
 
DICK ROGERS
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