Thymolated Syrup

[Luminos]

I cannot believe that the bees like it any more than I liked a daily dose of cod liver oil when I was a kid ... what was all that about ? Doesn't happen today does it ?

Because cod is rarer than hens teeth now

 

[Skyhook]

Originally posted by Pargyle

But... reading back over some old posts (outside of this thread) I found people who appeared to be suggesting that feeding syrup over the whole winter was possible with thymolated syrup .... in order to keep the syrup from going mouldy and keep the bees free from Nosema.

I dont think anyone was suggesting that, but I may be one of the people you thought was. I recommend that bees live on thymolated syrup over the winter, from the stores they laid down during autumn feeding. I don't agree with leaving ANY feed on over winter, that's what there stores are for. If they are gettuing light (which shouldn't be before February at the earliest), then some fondant can get them through the last few weeks.

But, if your bees have a low level of Nosema spores (from microscopic analysis) and have no tendency towards contracting Nosema in epidemic proportions, consideration should be given to NOT feeding them with thymol ... I don't suggest that treating them is necessarily harmful ... just that it may be unnecessary.

See my earlier post- if the disease shows up in spring or summer you can treat; but if they get it in winter, by the time they are suffering badly you can't do anything about it.

You may be prone to sore throats but actually sucking throat sweets on a daily basis 'just in case' you get a sore throat may actually reduce your ability to ward off sore throats naturally. And before anyone starts to make an analogy to the flu jab or other such vaccinations ... the diseases they prevent can kill you.

If not sure the analogy stands up. The main deciding factor in nosema is the weather- both in determining their flight behaviour, and in their nutrition. If they are confined to the hive and with limited ability to gather pollen, they are likely to suffer from nosema, if not, not. I don't think they have a mechanism to be sharpened by exposure in the same way as we do to, say bacteria- with bees it's more of a numbers game.

I cannot believe that the bees like it any more than I liked a daily dose of cod liver oil when I was a kid ... what was all that about ? Doesn't happen today does it ?

It was an attempt to make up for poor diet, largely replaced now by vitamin tablets- ironically, usually given to well-nourished children, while the ones that are brought up on buckets of Southern Fried Mc Crap will probably never be allowed within shouting distance of a vitamin because of their parents ignorance.

OK, sorry... off topic I know, but sometimes you just have to let it out.





.

 

[pargyle]

Originally posted by Pargyle

But... reading back over some old posts (outside of this thread) I found people who appeared to be suggesting that feeding syrup over the whole winter was possible with thymolated syrup .... in order to keep the syrup from going mouldy and keep the bees free from Nosema.

I dont think anyone was suggesting that, but I may be one of the people you thought was. I recommend that bees live on thymolated syrup over the winter, from the stores they laid down during autumn feeding. I don't agree with leaving ANY feed on over winter, that's what there stores are for. If they are gettuing light (which shouldn't be before February at the earliest), then some fondant can get them through the last few weeks.

But, if your bees have a low level of Nosema spores (from microscopic analysis) and have no tendency towards contracting Nosema in epidemic proportions, consideration should be given to NOT feeding them with thymol ... I don't suggest that treating them is necessarily harmful ... just that it may be unnecessary.

See my earlier post- if the disease shows up in spring or summer you can treat; but if they get it in winter, by the time they are suffering badly you can't do anything about it.

You may be prone to sore throats but actually sucking throat sweets on a daily basis 'just in case' you get a sore throat may actually reduce your ability to ward off sore throats naturally. And before anyone starts to make an analogy to the flu jab or other such vaccinations ... the diseases they prevent can kill you.

If not sure the analogy stands up. The main deciding factor in nosema is the weather- both in determining their flight behaviour, and in their nutrition. If they are confined to the hive and with limited ability to gather pollen, they are likely to suffer from nosema, if not, not. I don't think they have a mechanism to be sharpened by exposure in the same way as we do to, say bacteria- with bees it's more of a numbers game.

I cannot believe that the bees like it any more than I liked a daily dose of cod liver oil when I was a kid ... what was all that about ? Doesn't happen today does it ?

It was an attempt to make up for poor diet, largely replaced now by vitamin tablets- ironically, usually given to well-nourished children, while the ones that are brought up on buckets of Southern Fried Mc Crap will probably never be allowed within shouting distance of a vitamin because of their parents ignorance.

OK, sorry... off topic I know, but sometimes you just have to let it out.


.

No ... it's a good logical rant ... I always appreciate a good, well thought out, rant !!

And ... I think that post war baby boomers probably had a far better diet of real food, bought daily, cooked fresh and with plenty of roughage left in it than the 'poor' kids of today that are brought up on frozen, processed, modified, fast junk food ... with all the added vitamins that food firms delight in telling us have been added ... and don't get me onto the subject of children and exercise ...

Now THAT's an off topic rant ...

 

[Skyhook]

no ... It's a good logical rant ... I always appreciate a good, well thought out, rant !!

Smilies not working- have to resort to LOL!

.

 

[Swarm]

Me and my brother used to have a daily, big spoon of cod liver oil and malt.

Great times.

 

[Polyanwood]

looking for the digital balance that weighs down to 0.01g and it is not in its box where i keep it and everyone in the family claims not to have touched it so I spend an hour looking for it getting grumpy... then go and buy a new one online for £3.99, so feel calm and there will be more thymolated syrup this weekend.

 

[For want of a better word]

A quick BOUNCE as it is feeding time again!

Yeghes da

 

[Cussword]

Me and my brother used to have a daily, big spoon of cod liver oil and malt.

Great times.

I remember it well.

 

[EKBee]

If you choose to make it up, avoid dropping the Thymol on the floor & thinking the Dyson with sort that out. Unless you want the fragrant waft of thymol throughout the house when you hoover for some time to come. My wife was most impressed

 

[Beecarer]

Ive added hive alive to syrup and the bees take it down alot faster that without it, seems they do like the thymol?

 

[Karsal]

I have a jar of 2:1 sugar solution on my garage shelf that has been there for just over twelve months. It has thymol added as per Hivemakers recipe. It has no mould at all in the jar. I have only fed my bees this for winter feeding. Just need to make sure they have eaten all their stores by spring and nothing left to taint your honey.

 

[Cussword]

As Apiguard is thymol based, would thymol syrup also be able to deal with varroa in the same way?

 

[Matt77]

As I understand it, Apiguard kills mites by 'gassing' them. I don't think the syrup has the same effect. Although I'm new here so I could be talking tosh.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As I understand it, Apiguard kills mites by 'gassing' them. I don't think the syrup has the same effect. Although I new here so I could be talking tosh.

No you're right - thymol in syrup for nosema, apiguard for mites - neither does the job of the other

 

[Cussword]

Thanks, I didn't want to use both if one would have sufficed.

 

[44Whitehall]

I presume the cookware in which the thymol solution is made can be used in normal human food preparation following a good wash with soap and water? Or once contaminated does it need to be taken out of normal kitchen use?

Thanks.

 

[protheroe]

I use the wife's cooking utensils for thymol.smell does linger but with a good scrub it will go.

 

[Norton]

Thymol in syrup renders male mites sterile, does the same to drones!

 

[For want of a better word]

Thymol in syrup renders male mites sterile, does the same to drones!

Which is why I use it in the Autumn feed......all gone by Spring when they go onto Candipol for extra mating vigor!!!

Yeghes da

 

[Matt77]

Thymol in syrup renders male mites sterile, does the same to drones!

I'd not heard that before. Very interesting.