Syrup to Honey Conversion

[Dewin Dwl]

A question crossed my mind, now I'm starting to feed-up my bees ready for winter.

How much "honey" (in kilo's) would arise from feeding a litre of water with a kilo of sugar in it?


Or: How much honey per kilo of sugar? (as this allows for thick, thin, fifty-fifty & special-brew syrups)

Just to give me an idea how much I need to feed to get a sensible winter larder in place.

Cheers

 

[oliver90owner]

Count the number of frames of stores.

Weight of sugar plus 20% less the work done shifting and processing it. YMWV.

RAB

 

[Adam]

Count the number of frames of stores.

Weight of sugar plus 20% less the work done shifting and processing it. YMWV.

RAB

If you assume it takes 20% effort to process it, you just give the same weight in sugar, as the amount of honey you want added.

Adam

 

[RoofTops]

Dewin, If you assume honey is 80% sugar, which is a good round number, then 1 kg of honey equals 800g of sugar. The amount of water in your feed makes no difference other than of course giving the bees more work to do to remove it.

So for example if you want them to have 20 kg of additional stores you need to feed them 16 kg of sugar (80% of 20), ideally given in the strongest solution you can make.

The bees may of course consume stores while they are doing this if there is no forage but it is not a precise art so I wouldn't bother to take this into account.

 

[Juststarting]

Thanks RT - I was off to bulk buy some sugar for my colony but hadnt worked out how much I'd need.

Now where was the cheapest place?

Mind you just registered for my local bookers and got sent a £10 voucher - so think this is the cheapest I'll find.

 

[Poly Hive]

It is better and less confusing to think of "Winter Stores" rather than honey against syrup.

You want at least 40 lbs of stores before winter starts.

PH

 

[BeeNice]

Reading the feeds, Polyhive, so for overwintering on one super, the stores will be around 30lbs eg. 10 frames at around 3lb a frame = 30lb. The rest is store in the brood box?
regards
Steven

 

[Dishmop]

Thanks RT - I was off to bulk buy some sugar for my colony but hadnt worked out how much I'd need.

Now where was the cheapest place?

Mind you just registered for my local bookers and got sent a £10 voucher - so think this is the cheapest I'll find.

You got a Booker Prize for Sugar then.....

 

[Poly Hive]

BeeNice? Yes. But I would want to put that to winter with some 60lbs. Stores I mean not overall weight.

Learn to judge your hive weights and or buy a cheap spring scale so you can judge the weight. Lift the hive so it is off the ground on one side and read the weight, times that by 2 for the total score.

PH

 

[RoofTops]

Our local Morrisons is doing 2 kg for £1.35. Not the cheapest I suspect but may be more convenient for some (it was for me). I don't know if other Morrisons are doing the same but I guess they may be.

 

[BeeNice]

BeeNice? Yes. But I would want to put that to winter with some 60lbs. Stores I mean not overall weight.

Learn to judge your hive weights and or buy a cheap spring scale so you can judge the weight. Lift the hive so it is off the ground on one side and read the weight, times that by 2 for the total score.

PH

Thanks for that polyhive, some of the stuff on the forum just ain't in the books.
regards
Steven

 

[nelletap]

Our local Morrison's had that offer too, but when I went back a couple of days ago it had gone up a lot - from memory it seemed almost double. I think they had jam makers and beekeepers buying it and they realised.......

 

[kighill]

Farmfoods are selling sugar at 59p per kilo.

This is the best price I have found so far, Home Bargains are a little more expensive 69p per kilo.

 

[Moggs]

Booker (wholesale) 13.99 for 25kgs. Other suppliers are available(!)

 

[steve1958]

Booker (wholesale) 13.99 for 25kgs. Other suppliers are available(!)

Which works out at 56p a kilo