Is this safe to feed

[happy larry]

Hi all,i am new to bee keeping and picked up a cast last june time,got them housed and started giving a little syrup as i was concerned that they wouldnt get chance to build enough food suplies to take them through the winter.I go and have a look around where they are sited every couple of days just to see if there is any movement,only the odd few days have i seen bees milling around or flying.I havent lifted the lid as it has been to cold plus i didnt want to disturb them,i have tried hefting but im not realy a good judge of weights and i dont know the starting weight of the hive,on my visits i have noticed lots of dead bees in the hive area and around the entrance and im wondering if they are running low on food.Would it be safe to feed this,Dr Oetker,regal ice(white icing) the ingredients are sugar,glucose syrup,water,vegetable oil,glycerine,emulsifier,mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids,acidity regulators,sodium acetatate,acetic acid,stabiliser,gum tragacanth,natural flavourings.Thanks for reading.Paul

 

[Poly Hive]

I wouldn't no not with that cocktail in it.

Can you not find a local baker and buy some white fondant from them?

PH

 

[nonstandard]

You could always try making your own fondant, there are recipes around.

Otherwise if you truly think the situation is dire you could moisten up a bag of sugar and put it on.

This beekeeper mixes his with honey (only use your own honey, or some from a source you really trust)
http://beediary.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/winter-losses/

 

[MuswellMetro]

You could always try making your own fondant, there are recipes around.

Otherwise if you truly think the situation is dire you could moisten up a bag of sugar and put it on.

This beekeeper mixes his with honey (only use your own honey, or some from a source you really trust)
http://beediary.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/winter-losses/

agree, the mix of ingrediant is the problem ,some of the gums break down into substances toxic to Bees


there are several emergency feeding methods ,if you do not want to make your own fondant,

1) put 1ltre of water in a pan and bring to the boil, take off heat and add 1kg of plain white granulated sugar and stir until all disolved

put this into glass jars ( honey or jam) filled up to the top and seal with a lid with lots of small holes in it, invert this over the feed/porter hole in the crown board and change weekly ( keep unused jar in the fridge to stop it fermenting or going mouldy) or use a standard feeder

2) take 1/2kg bag of standard white granualted sugar and put one or two slits on one side with a stanley knife or hive tool, place the bag in cold water for a minute, invert this slash side down on the feed/porter hole, check weekly

3) leave the feed hole open and springle a plile of a bag of sigar on the crown board next to the hole make a dip in it and pour water on it until quite damp


but fondant is easier and better if it is pure

 

[psafloyd]

Making your own is really quite easy. I had some knocked up in a half hour using the recipe on here and I've been feeding it since December.

 

[louiseww]

Make your own, easy peasy. 2lb sugar and about 8ounces of boiling water. Dissolve, bring to boil, simmer for a few minutes, then plunge container into cold water, keep stiring. If you have glucose syrup (from sainsburys) add a tablespoonful this stops crystallisation, but if it is an emergency this isn't necessary - once the solution is starting to solidify flatten it in a small saucer size pancake to give to the bees - if they are hungry they will devour in a day!
Louise

 

[louiseww]

Make your own, easy peasy. 2lb sugar and about 8ounces of boiling water. Dissolve, bring to boil, simmer for a few minutes, then plunge container into cold water, keep stirring. If you have glucose syrup (from sainsburys) add a tablespoonful this stops crystallisation, but if it is an emergency this isn't necessary - once the solution is starting to solidify flatten it in a small saucer size pancake to give to the bees - if they are hungry they will devour in a day!
Louise

 

[Vergilius]

Do you know how much stores your colony went into winter with???


Ben P

 

[Hombre]

Powdered clucose is a lot cheaper at a chemist shop.

 

[Frithgar]

Your local baker will have some white sugar fondant that they use for icing all the cakes etc, this is normally sugar and water. I bought a full box from my baker as they didn't want to let me havea part box (they ordered it from their supplier for me at cost price). I can't remember how much I paid for it but I had a 12.5kg box of the stuff, it keeps really well so you could use it over 2-3 years without it hurting the bees or going off, just keep it somewhere cool.

I know that the price wasn't that high for it, and definately worth paying for rather than making it myself.

 

[happy larry]

Well thank you all for your help and wisdom great place this forum and if you pardon the pun,a hive of information.It seems i might of been alarmed without good cause because in yesterdays tropic temperatures the bees put in an appearance whoo hoo,im relieved.Anway i decided to take the info kindly given by louiseww i managed to get a tube of glucose syrup from morrisons for £1-19.Once again thank you all very much.Paul