my dad raises bees. and he needs some advice about sugar water?
Image by Bill & Mark Bell
The raising of its abdomen and legs is a defensive pose as far as i can tell its a bluff they have no sting.
Question by Just me.: my dad raises bees. and he needs some advice about sugar water?
so he has these blue jugs that hold 50 pounds of sugar water, he wants to know how long the jugs will keep the sugar water good for and if there is a way to prolong the sugar waters goodness.
i know weird question.
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
4 Responses to my dad raises bees. and he needs some advice about sugar water?
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if it is a closed container like a hummingbird feeder, I would assume to change out the water every 3 or 4 days. If it is an open container like an automatic waterer for cats/dogs, it will have to be changed daily because other creatures (mosquitoes) will lay eggs in the water
here are some links
http://www.dadant.com/journal/faq.html
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkcd/management/feeding.html
KoKo KiTTy
October 8, 2011 at 7:49 am
there is no way to prolong the water’s goodness-except keep it in cool water. it will keep the water good for probably a few hours-the sugar dissolves quicker in hot water so don’t put it in that.
this lady
October 8, 2011 at 8:27 am
I assume he has made up a 1:1 solution, that’s what I’m doing at this time of year – early summer. This solution (because of the high level of sugar) will keep for long enough for you to use it this season, although it is worth keeping it covered, and if possible as cool as you can. If you notice it starting to go off, add more sugar, I have kept 2:1 solutions for two years (by accident, but isn’t that how most scientific discoveries were made?).
jesusofnasareth
October 8, 2011 at 8:48 am
He shouldn’t be feeding his bees sugar water when there are flowers available. Do you remember how they taught to you to hold your nose so you wouldn’t taste something you didn’t want to eat? That way you wouldn’t taste it going down.
I give demonstrations and seminars on bees at least once every several weeks. I take a jar of honey I either collected from a hive I removed from someones property of one of my own bees. I purchase an imported bottle at one of the local outlets. I pour a small quantity on separate plates and ask the audience to take a couple of deep smells of each, one at a time. They mark down their impressions of sample A and sample B. They don’t know what I am doing or why. I then give them separate spoons and ask them to taste the samples separately and write down their impressions.
Without fail they can tell the difference in smell and taste. They can often smell the corn syrup in the imported mix. They can’t smell the flower bouquet in it. When they taste the honey they can easily tell one from the other. The difference in smell and taste is amazing. Surprisingly some people like the taste of corn syrup more than they like honey. If that is their choice, buy corn syrup its a lot cheaper. Those who like honey learn to buy from local beekeepers to preserve the best taste and aroma possible. Imports are mixed types of honey and lose their unique smells and taste.
I have a single hive at a time. I live on a small lot in a subdivision. I don’t sell honey.
If your father wants sugar water honey why not just mix the water and sugar and pour it on his pancakes?
The only time bees should get sugar water is in the winter if their own honey supple is inadequate to carry them through to spring.. The other time is if the environment doesn’t allow enough flowers, like in a severe drought and there is no nectar to collect.
Don’t deprive yourself of real honey with smell, taste and color. There is a lot of work, time and medication to keep a hive healthy and active. Collect the most from your labors. Don’t take a watered down version.
The honey the bees make will be little changed from the sugar water will taste like sugar water and smell like sugar water. Why raise and care for a hive if that’s all you want. He will see when he harvest and uses the sugar water honey what a mistake he’s made with millions of years of evolution..
Vincent
October 8, 2011 at 9:35 am