Thymolated Syrup

[Polyanwood]

Am thinking of putting on thymolated syrup once it is not so cold at night. A good idea or not? Should I just buy some thymol crystals and dilute them in some overproof vodka or rum and then mix it into the syrup???

 

[Hivemaker.]

Hi
I would not use thymolated syrup at this time of year,unless you have some ailment like nosema. The mixture is 30g of thymol crystals in 150ml of isopropyl alchohol, or surgical spirit,this mixture will keep for years. then add one teaspoon of the mix to one gallon of sugar syrup= 5ml, or multiples of this,depending on its purpose. even less will prevent any fermentation.

 

[Polyanwood]

Thanks.

Why not this time of year then HM?

I thought ethanol was less toxic than isopropyl alcohol?Can you buy that stuff at the chemists?

 

[marcros]

I have only ever used thymol in the syrup on a winter feed, when it is been hanging around for a while, for instance when I have been to an apiary, but the hives have not needed the syrup that I have prepared and it sits in the car for a week or two. Are you looking at feeding for survival, or as a stimulative feed? I personally wouldn't put thymol in now, but other may disagree. Instead, I would only feed a little syrup that can be taken down on a single suitable day, rather than a bigger quantity, which increases the risk of fermentation.

I dissolved in meths last time, (or surgical spirit would be the same)- any form of alcohol should do- I picked the cheapest!

Mark

 

[marcros]

hivemaker, you must have been typing the same as I was thinking whilst I was typing it!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Many say isopropyl alcohol is better,less contaminants. would not feed any large ammounts now, as your syrup is not likely to ferment,so no point.Yes you can get either at a chemist,its both cheap.

looks like the same again,Marcros.haha

 

[Polyanwood]

To be honest that article on Nosema in the BBKA newsletter upset me.... I thought maybe I should have treated with Fumidil B in Autumn, but since I didn't , maybe I should give thymolated syrup in the Spring. Also I notice that some people are already feeding syrup to stimulate the bees.

Will calm down, and probabaly leave it since you both wouldn't do it.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Yes calm down, get your bee's tested if you have not allready,then your mind will be at ease on the nosema bit.

 

[marcros]

I think that it is still plenty early enough for stimulative feeding for me in Leeds- may look again in another couple of weeks.

One apiary has a decent hawthorne flow, but even this is not until just before the OSR. It is a site surrounded by grassland for a few miles, so benefits (???????) from having no rape that they bother with, just hedgerows, a few gardens and some rare pollen from a garden centre.

 

[Polyanwood]

This is embarrassing... but I didn't want to kill 30 of them to get them tested. I'll get a grip!

 

[marcros]

Yes calm down, get your bee's tested if you have not allready,then your mind will be at ease on the nosema bit.

There was a chap (or girl) on ebay, offering to test up to 10 hives for a tenner, which sounded quite a useful service to me at a reasonable cost. I dont doubt that it is a simple enough task if you have a microscope and the knowhow, but if you dont, i have to admire this persons opportunity to seize a gap in the market.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Its for the good of them all,a small sacrifice,and those old foragers have not got long to live anyway.

 

[marcros]

This is embarrassing... but I didn't want to kill 30 of them to get them tested. I'll get a grip!

Dont start queenbreeding in a big way- having to give away half a dozen with every queen you mail will break your heart!!

lol

 

[Polyanwood]

I didn't have anyone to show me what to do when I first started and I went to a beekeeping meeting traumatised that I had killed 6 bees on my first inspection! They were sweet and didn't laugh at me, but they struggled not to.

 

[the naked beekeeper]

This is embarrassing... but I didn't want to kill 30 of them to get them tested. I'll get a grip!

Not embarassing at all.

We all do it for the love of bees.

Why else would you be a beekeeper!
Certainly not for the money.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Hate to tell you this Naked Beekeeper,but some of us do make our living from bee's.

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Hate to tell you this Naked Beekeeper,but some of us do make our living from bee's.

No need to apologise. I knew a few did but wasn't sure how many farmers could sustain on bees alone.
What with the poor summers of late and varroa episodes.
I'm not too aware of how many people make their living from bees alone that's all. But good to hear that some people on here do.
How many hives would you need/do you have?