Mollases

[Freer4]

Just quick question, which might be abit silly but can you feed mollases to the bees or is it bad for them, just have loads of it at work for cows.

 

[oliver90owner]

Regarded as bad, bad, bad. It contains all sorts of other things which will give the bees a funny tummy. Even brown sugar is to be avoided. So pure sugar only. That is for winter feeding when the bees are indoors for long periods. I would not risk it even in the summer. But someone might enlighten me otherwise.

Regards, RAB

 

[keithgrimes]

Molasses and brown sugar can give bees dysentry

 

[Freer4]

I thought That would be the case. Damn I thought I had scored for free bee feed, oh well 1 more question when and why is fondent used?


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[oliver90owner]

Fondant? More expensive than sugar syrup but used by some for autumn feed; used by most as (emergency) feed during the winter months when sugar syrup is inappropriate.

Regards, RAB

 

[hoomin_erra]

The beginners course i did, we were told by the teacher, that he recommends fondant for the following reason.

Bees will take syrup down into the frames, but fondant they will only take when they need it. Thus you don't get syrup in the comb next season.

How does that sound?

 

[oliver90owner]

Not so good. Elucidate please. Are you writing concerning:

1) Autumn feeding

2) Winter feeding

3) Spring feeding, or

4) At other times?

Certainly does not make a lot of sensense for the 1 and 2. Not a lot for 3 and mostly unecessary for 4. Tell us more.

Regards, RAB

 

[hoomin_erra]

This was for winter feeding and spring feeding. The concept was you put the fondant over the holes in the crown board and because of the consistency, the bees would only feed when they had to rather than take it all down into the super thus resulting in a possible dilution of the honey with excess syrup come spring.

 

[oliver90owner]

Well, my view.

Winter feeding is as an emergency and should not happen, but more and more occurs, it seems.

Spring feeding - either as winter feeding, an emergency - or, IMO, a syrup is certainly better for brood rearing.

Presumably this teacher did not feed any autumn feed, at all?

So, that is good - you have, at least, qualified your sweeping statement and it only applies to less than half the possible scenarios.

Now which spring feeding was he referring to? Emergency or brood rearing?

Regards, RAB

 

[hoomin_erra]

Sorry

Emergency feeding to avoid starvation.

 

[oliver90owner]

Ahh, right. Sorry, probably my fault in the first place. Should have included 'spring' in my post #5 so that it was very clear to all readers, not just grouped together as winter months.

Regards, RAB