Thymol death syrup

[Anduril]

Interesting.

What problems does the mould cause?

While potassium sorbate is a preservative and inhibits mould, it is used in the wine industry as well as in processed food, I believe it is banned in Europe because it is toxic to DNA and the immune system, it also damages good bacteria in the gut. It only affects a certain percentage of the population. I don't know what effect it will have on the gut of a bee.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

While potassium sorbate is a preservative and inhibits mould, it is used in the wine industry as well as in processed food, I believe it is banned in Europe

a very brief look-up leads me to believe that it is not banned in the EU. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5625

 

[Anduril]

a very brief look-up leads me to believe that it is not banned in the EU. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5625

It's been re-evaluated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if you feed the bees properly, the syrup is never in the feeder long enough to get mouldy

 

[Ely]

You can remove the plastic cone that sits on top and fill the feed with straw.

 

[robmort]

I used potassium sorbate. You make a stock solution in the ratio of 40g to 1L water, then add 5ml stock per litre of syrup.

Acetic acid (vinegar) is much cheaper and easily available, 5 litres of 77% for 12.50 delivered. Just needs a dash of concentrate in 5 litres of syrup

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

2:1 syrup doesn't go mouldy anyhoo

 

[Penninetrader]

if you feed the bees properly, the syrup is never in the feeder long enough to get mouldy

I think it is more during storage if you make a good sized batch there might be a problem.For better or worse I use a spoonful of apple cider vinegar and 1000mg vit c per 2kg sugar in my mix

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think it is more during storage

only 1:1 maybe - but why would you make up loads of that?
I have loads of invert sitting around for years and never gone mouldy, same goes for 2:1 sugar syrup

apple cider

is there any other bloody kind?

 

[Chris Hancock]

Feeders seem to vary with the drowning possibities, and I rarely use those with the cone on, even though The Jumbo ones are a useful size. I prefer the feeders with a central division, but they do need a tight-fitting glass over the slots, so bees can't get into the syrup. Those pesky small wasps seem to get under the tops of all of them, and they do drown! They must be able to flatten! The plastic jumbo feeders did, however, make very good wasp traps when we had an absolute invasion, as long as there was something in the liquid which bees won't go for.......

 

[Amari]

If all the syrup has been taken down I’d agree but typically I find not.
Like I said only a thought…….mental note to myself about putting bees to bed earlier in the year next time around.

Do you use thymol Zac? I forgot this year.