Sugar Dusting. Yes or No?

[user 20528]

Hello All,
I am a Beekeeper in Ireland. I started in 2019 and was able to get my first colony on June 1st.
Furthermore, I am interested in any natural way to treat my hives for all pests and diseases and have been treatment free since I started. I am embarking on a little experiment to use icing sugar dusting to treat varroa mites hopefully making a report for Bee craft and the FIBKA magazines.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am embarking on a little experiment to use icing sugar dusting to treat varroa mites

Top tip - save it for your Christmas cake.
Asking the varroa nicely to leave would probably be more effective than sugar dusting the colony.

 

[user 20528]

Top tip - save it for your Christmas cake.
Asking the varroa nicely to leave would probably be more effective than sugar dusting the colony.

Problem is I already have a 25 Kg bag of it and thanks to one tip (from a book) I have mixed some of it with Garlic powder. I don't think I'd like that on my Christmas Cake!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

thanks to one tip (from a book) I have mixed some of it with Garlic powder.

What sort of book was that? not Jamie Oliver obviously as it sounds like a recipe with a bit of flavour.
Don't tell me - Heston Bloomintal!!

 

[user 20528]

No, Actually it was 'Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture' by Ross Conrad.
A great book if you were to give it a read.

 

[madasafish]

Problem is I already have a 25 Kg bag of it and thanks to one tip (from a book) I have mixed some of it with Garlic powder. I don't think I'd like that on my Christmas Cake!

Garlic with icing sugar is such a natural combination I am surprised more beekeepers do not use it all the time...Full of natural goodness and grown and harvested organically by hand no doubt.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hello All,
I am a Beekeeper in Ireland. I started in 2019 and was able to get my first colony on June 1st.
Furthermore, I am interested in any natural way to treat my hives for all pests and diseases and have been treatment free since I started. I am embarking on a little experiment to use icing sugar dusting to treat varroa mites hopefully making a report for Bee craft and the FIBKA magazines.

Welcome.
This is a minefield.
I hope you don’t mind if I move your post to it’s own thread.
The reasons might become obvious sooner or later.

 

[user 20528]

No Problem.

 

[IndiBee]

Welcome Ice. I have known plenty of people use icing sugar and loads swear by it. But for some reason this forum has a tendency to jump on people that don't do things their way. So expect nay sayers etc.
A good post to start with as you can just block that lot when they jump on you.

 

[Curly green finger's]

No, Actually it was 'Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture' by Ross Conrad.
A great book if you were to give it a read.

I have it.
One of my first books i perchased
Interesting book chat on .
Have you tried any of his other recipes?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Welcome Ice. I have known plenty of people use icing sugar and loads swear by it. But for some reason this forum has a tendency to jump on people that don't do things their way. So expect nay sayers etc.

That’s a little uncharitable. The forum doesn’t jump on anybody. Some members might.
Garlic and honey does work though.

 

[user 20528]

Welcome Ice. I have known plenty of people use icing sugar and loads swear by it. But for some reason this forum has a tendency to jump on people that don't do things their way. So expect nay sayers etc.
A good post to start with as you can just block that lot when they jump on you.

I am happy for all comments. Pro or Anti.

That’s a little uncharitable. The forum doesn’t jump on anybody. Some members might.
Garlic and honey does work though.

No, Garlic tasting honey would not be nice. You just have to make sure you don't dust the supers.

 

[user 20528]

I have it.
One of my first books I purchased
Interesting book chat on .
Have you tried any of his other recipes?

Yes, I would have to rank it in the top 2 books after 'Haynes manual'
If I remember correctly I tried to make Fondant, but it kinda didn't work.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No, Garlic tasting honey would not be nice. You just have to make sure you don't dust the supers.

I was being serious. The London markets sell garlic cloves in honey. Very popular I gather.

 

[GuyNir]

I was being serious. The London markets sell garlic cloves in honey. Very popular I gather.

Why am I not surprised… Let’s hope they keep it there.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes, I would have to rank it in the top 2 books after 'Haynes manual'
If I remember correctly I tried to make Fondant, but it kinda didn't work.

I was thinking of his bee tea he would use?

 

[user 20528]

I did the first dusting of the year today. Firstly I did a varroa shake test. H1 had a mite infestation of 3%
H2 had an infestation of 5%. I used a total of 5 cups of Icing sugar garlic. (ratio of 4 to 1) I will be dusting the 2 hives each week doing a mite count every couple of weeks to check the mite infestation levels as we proceed through the beekeeping year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hello All,
I am a Beekeeper in Ireland. I started in 2019 and was able to get my first colony on June 1st.
Furthermore, I am interested in any natural way to treat my hives for all pests and diseases and have been treatment free since I started. I am embarking on a little experiment to use icing sugar dusting to treat varroa mites hopefully making a report for Bee craft and the FIBKA magazines.

There’s a report of a little experiment here
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/pow...weet-and-safe-but-does-it-really-work-part-1/

 

[user 20528]

I was being serious. The London markets sell garlic cloves in honey. Very popular I gather.

Oh, Sorry I miss read your message.

 

[user 20528]

There’s a report of a little experiment here
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/pow...weet-and-safe-but-does-it-really-work-part-1/

Yes I will be, except of course during a 3-week break after swarm control.

That report was one of the first I saw when doing a little research. It is a good read.