Feeding Bees Sugar Advice

[Jen]

Our bee club is discussing all different ways to feed bees, including 'what and what not' to feed bees. We've got it down to why we only feed bees pure cane sugar, and drivert sugar. But one lady (there is always one) wants to feed her bees Raw Organic Sugar. Is there a problem with Raw Organic Sugar? this version of sugar is a light brown color, that's all I know.

[Bakersdozen]

Pure cane or beet sugar is what I have always been told.  No brown sugar, no karo syrup, and no honey that didn't come from your own colonies. I would guess this woman is trying to organic and not use any chemicals.  Hmmm.

[Lburou]

The dark sugars will give her bees (and yours) dysentery, or worse, caused by the ash content.  White sugar is what they need. 

P.S. The Honey Bee suite has an article about it here.

[neillsayers]

I have fed this product in the summer dearth without ill effects. It's not the same as brown sugar but I would not feed it as winter feed, I question if the ash and other minerals would too much for them to process when in cluster.

[rober]

organic white sugar is available too but like raw sugar it will be a lot more expensive. the benefits if any do not justify the cost. organic or not it is still a processed & not natural food source.

[Les]

Considering how many pesticides and herbicides bees are already exposed to and have present in their fat body, I think using organic sugar is a waste of money.

[riverbee]

"'what and what not' to feed bees."

to add to what lee and bakers 12 said, two articles:

Feeding sugar to honey bees

Sugar for Bees Bee Culture February 17, 2017

jen, i have attached the files if you want to print them off.

[neillsayers]

Thanks for attaching those articles, RB. Good info.


After thinking about it, I wonder if this lady's aim is to produce certified organic honey. If that is the case, perhaps it is a requirement that the sugar be organic but I would avoid raw sugar as bee food.

[Bakersdozen]

After thinking about it, I wonder if this lady's aim is to produce certified organic honey. If that is the case, perhaps it is a requirement that the sugar be organic but I would avoid raw sugar as bee food.

What is organic honey?  I think we have discussed this in another thread.  I will see if I can find it.

[Bakersdozen]

This is the thread where Organic honey was discussed.  https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php?topic=4781.msg62749#lastPost

apisbees wrapped the discussion up by posting this link http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/compound-eye/organic-honey-is-a-sweet-illusion/

and this

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/food/how-can-honey-be-organic/

Now back to the discussion about feeding sugar.  Sorry if I derailed the conversation.