Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: tedh on August 24, 2019, 03:22:29 pm

Title: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: tedh on August 24, 2019, 03:22:29 pm

Hi Everyone,
I've got a few gallons of honey I'm going to feed back to our lighter colonies and I seem to remember that we should mix it with water.  Fifty fifty or a 1 to 1 ratio is what think i read but I am unsure if I read that or just made it up.  Any insight on this would be much appreciated.  Thanks, Ted

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: Jen on August 25, 2019, 01:02:28 am

Hi Ted, I sure don't see why you can't do 1:1 with honey and water, it sure couldn't hurt anything. But I know a beek here in our area that feeds straight honey just like 1:1 syrup, with little holes in the lids. I think go for it  ;) 8)

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: tedh on August 25, 2019, 07:25:11 am

Right on!  After posting i started looking around on Googl and it seems that feending straight honey is the way to go.  The mixing with water may have been a product of my feverish mind. ;D

I wonder how temperatures play into this.  Don't feed under 50°F?

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: iddee on August 25, 2019, 07:48:45 am

Mixing with water means fermentation.Feed it pure.

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: tedh on August 25, 2019, 08:30:14 am

Jeez, such an obvious answer.  Thanks iddee.  Makes me wonder if I'll ever be a competent beekeeper.

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: Bakersdozen on August 25, 2019, 08:56:41 am

iddee's answer is one of those "duh" moments for sure.  All I could think was that the bees would have to reduce the moisture content, so why would you bother mixing it with water?

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: Jen on August 25, 2019, 12:24:09 pm

My question is: How long does fermentation take with water and honey blend? If you are in a dearth, the bees will have that solution gone in a day and sometimes sooner.

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: Bakersdozen on August 25, 2019, 07:31:48 pm

Quote from: Jen on August 25, 2019, 12:24:09 pm

My question is: How long does fermentation take with water and honey blend? If you are in a dearth, the bees will have that solution gone in a day and sometimes sooner.

I can't answer that, but I would think temperature has a bearing on that.

Title: Re: Feeding honey to bees
Post by: iddee on August 25, 2019, 07:37:18 pm

Under the right conditions, fermentation can start in less than 24 hours.