More than 2:1?

[Sutty]

Does anyone here use higher syrup concentrations than 2:1? ie 2Kg sugar to 1 litre water, for winter feeding?

 

[Finman]

Does anyone here use higher syrup concentrations than 2:1? ie 2Kg sugar to 1 litre water, for winter feeding?

Sure, but it makes many difficulties to bees. You may try yourself and you see.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Autumn? Yes....I use invert which is more concentrated than 2lbs sugar to 1 pint of water.....2:1
Its difficult to keep 2Kg/L in solution as the syrup cools....though easy enough if you are making it with hot water.
If you get crystals in the bottom of the feeder the bees can't access it.
Or do you mean winter feeding when the appropriate feed is fondant...

 

[drex]

It is almost a saturated solution at 2:1 I.e. No more sugar will dissolve

 

[Finman]

Or do you mean winter feeding when the appropriate feed is fondant...

The Best winter food is syrup. For example in Finland we can not use fondant as winterfood.



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[Erichalfbee]

The Best winter food is syrup. For example in Finland we can not use fondant as winterfood.



.

Sutty is in Derbyshire

 

[oliver90owner]

Does anyone here use higher syrup concentrations than 2:1? ie 2Kg sugar to 1 litre water, for winter feeding?

That concentration is quoted for a simple reasons - it is about optimum and easy for most beekeepers to work out the amounts needed (if they do not just make the syrup by simpler means than precise weights and volumes. Sufficient to prepare and OK for the bees to store. The concentration made does not need to be absolutely 2:1. Sugar solubility depends on temperature.

Just do what has been practical for umpteen years and try not to re-invent the wheel. Become a practical beekeeper, not a highly excessive extremist, who strives for the highest theoretical concentration possible.

I have never bothered to measure the actual strength of sugar syrup I’ve made. Who cares if it is 1.9:1 or 20.1: 1, or even a wider result?

 

[Sutty]

I was just curious as honey is obviously more concentrated, so a higher concentration would save the bees some work and reduce visits to refill feeders.
To clarify, I was meaning feeding in preparation for winter, not over winter. I've never needed to feed during winter so far.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Manley used to mix stronger concentrations of sugar syrup apparently, but after reading his relation of the process it just looks like a lot of faff for very little gain. I've found even a 2Kilo to 1 litre mix, unless the bees take it down bleddy quick will crystalise into big solid chunks in the feeders. If you want syrup with a lower water content to make it easier on the bees, use invert.

 

[Sutty]

Manley used to mix stronger concentrations of sugar syrup apparently, but after reading his relation of the process it just looks like a lot of faff for very little gain. I've found even a 2Kilo to 1 litre mix, unless the bees take it down bleddy quick will crystalise into big solid chunks in the feeders. If you want syrup with a lower water content to make it easier on the bees, use invert.

That's interesting as I've never had a problem with 2:1 crystallising, maybe you have residual undissolved crystals which then seed crystallisation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No

 

[Michael Palmer]

My mixing procedure is a bit different. After doing it this way for years, I read it in a Ron Brown book. Isn't that always the way.

In a 5 gallon bucket, make a mark a few inches down from the rim. Fill to the mark with granulated sugar. Add hot water until it reaches the mark. Stir...I use a paint mixer on an electric drill. When the level drops, because of the air in the sugar, refill with hot water until the level stays at the line. The syrup will be 65% every time. I've tried to add more sugar to get to 67%, but it's not really possible without sugar precipitating out of solution. The thickest sucrose syrup I've ever fed out was 67%, but that was bought in syrup from a manufacturer that had the proper machinery...both heat and pressure.

 

[Amari]

I have never bothered to measure the actual strength of sugar syrup I’ve made. Who cares if it is 1.9:1 or 20.1: 1, or even a wider result?

The second one sounds like a recipe for toffee......

 

[Erichalfbee]

My mixing procedure is a bit different. After doing it this way for years, I read it in a Ron Brown book. Isn't that always the way.

In a 5 gallon bucket, make a mark a few inches down from the rim. Fill to the mark with granulated sugar. Add hot water until it reaches the mark. Stir...I use a paint mixer on an electric drill. When the level drops, because of the air in the sugar, refill with hot water until the level stays at the line. The syrup will be 65% every time. I've tried to add more sugar to get to 67%, but it's not really possible without sugar precipitating out of solution. The thickest sucrose syrup I've ever fed out was 67%, but that was bought in syrup from a manufacturer that had the proper machinery...both heat and pressure.

Exactly what I do but in a large saucepan, no drill.

 

[Goran]

I learned and use it: from beginning of August till autumn water/sugar 2:3 plus adding 1gram of citric acid per kg of sugar added.. Not too hot, just to dissolve and it doesn't crystalize back, but I try to use it fresh.. Not using it if it stays more than few days ( less worry)..
Complete inverting I do when making fondants... that period is nearing..

 

[oliver90owner]

The second one sounds like a recipe for toffee......

OOPS, an extra zero got in there somehow!

I’ve not actually fed syrup for years, but when I did I simply poured boiling water over a flattened heap of sugar, in a 25l plastic bucket, to the same level as the sugar, stirred very aggressively and that was it. Later, I changed to feeding fondant - initiallyI made my own, then bought it in. Now, nothing. I have fondant sitting in my kitchen just waiting to be needed.