Feeding back Ivy honey

[Mike a]

I have several kilo's of honey which was never filtered and jarred and has been sat in buckets since last year and partly granulated. What ratio of warm water would people recommend mixing in to feed it back to the same colonies. I will also be adding a little thymol as well.

1:1 seems to be recommended by a few friends but as its spring I'm wondering as its spring if 2:1 water to honey would be better?

 

[oliver90owner]

If it's only 'partly granulated' it is likey not so much ivy!

I would not be adding thymol to honey at this time of the year as it may end up in a super later!

You could warm it just enough to liquidise it and feed it neat. I think I would be using it to better effect than bee feed at this time.

Regards, RAB

 

[RoofTops]

It is usually said that if you feed the bees 1:1 sugar/water they will tend to use it straight away. If you feed a 2:1 mixture they tend to store it. So it depends why you want to feed.

If the aim is just to give them stores then as suggested you could also feed it neat but I was taught never to do this as they can get so excited robbing occurs.

There is also the danger early in the year they will store the honey in the brood comb and reduce egg laying space for the queen.

If you don't have any colonies starving I would suggest hang on to it and use it to feed nucs or for feeding something like an artificial or shook swarm later. Diluting the honey 1:0.8 honey/water should give the desired 1:1 sugar/water ratio.

 

[Mike a]

Thanks guys