What harm can it actually do?

[chris600uk]

Hi,

I know that we should only use fondant or syrup with Sugar and Water in it, or make our own. Playing safe is always a good thing to do.

But I'm curious, and having come across a block of Asda white icing (use by date Dec 2012) will it really be so bad?

I've uploaded a pic to the Album.
I believe they're listed in order of volume and wondered if it'll really do that much harm.

The first three are Sugar, Glucose syrup, and Water, which is most of it, so it occurred to me that the rest are only present in quantities that are too small to matter.

Anybody know the answer?

 

[oliver90owner]

so it occurred to me that the rest are only present in quantities that are too small to matter.

IF they are it is clearly OK,

However, IF they are not insignificant to the bees, it may not be. Let us know.

I would expect it would be far less cost effective as an autumn feed than sugar syrup or fondant (if it were OK), but there you go.

Just dropped it into 'goggle' and it came up with £2.28 per kilo. If you want to burn money and take the risk, that is OK by me. I most certainly will NOT!

 

[Skyhook]

Hi,

... so it occurred to me that the rest are only present in quantities that are too small to matter.

Anybody know the answer?

Depends what they are. Some things matter in parts per million.

 

[george]

If the price quoted above is correct why would you use it anyway ? Bakers fondant is over a pound a kilo cheaper .
G

 

[BeeJayBee]

I'd be inclined to use it to ice a cake or some biscuits, rather than test it out on bees. There are a lot of extra ingredients which bees might not like, or which could disagree with them, and somebody I know tried the same sort of stuff in an emergency - the bees ignored it.

 

[chris600uk]

Thanks for replying.

Yes I agree, it could definitely harm your wallet if you just fed 'em White Icing.

I'm interested to hear that someone has tried it already.
If the Bee's ignored it that would suggest a smell from one of the additives put them off.

Looks like my block of icing's going to end up on a cake after all!

 

[chris600uk]

WTMI - way too much information but hey, why not....

Just in case anyone is interested, and you probably aren't but I'm posting it anyway to answer my own original post.

The reason why Bee's won't take the Asda's (ready to roll) white icing is because it contains Glycerol, which makes other ingredients taste nasty to bees.

So there you are, that's the reason.

I bet at least one of you out there secretly wanted to know that didn't you.

Go on, own up.....go on!

 

[Skyhook]

Just in case anyone is interested, and you probably aren't but I'm posting it anyway to answer my own original post.

The reason why Bee's won't take the Asda's (ready to roll) white icing is because it contains Glycerol, which makes other ingredients taste nasty to bees.

So there you are, that's the reason.

I bet at least one of you out there secretly wanted to know that didn't you.

Go on, own up.....go on!

No, its good information- worth checking for on the ingredints when buying 1 cwt of fondant!

.

 

[jackbee]

I think the icing you can buy in supermarkets is different generally to the bakers fondant that can be fed to bees, more additives.

 

[GlenJ]

I also have a friend who lost a colony earlier this year because the bees didn't touch the Tesco sourced fondant supplied. Has to be the extra ingredients.

 

[REDWOOD]

Just in case anyone is interested, and you probably aren't but I'm posting it anyway to answer my own original post.

The reason why Bee's won't take the Asda's (ready to roll) white icing is because it contains Glycerol, which makes other ingredients taste nasty to bees.

So there you are, that's the reason.

I bet at least one of you out there secretly wanted to know that didn't you.

Go on, own up.....go on!

errrrrrrrrrrrrr yes

 

[village girl]

Just in case anyone is interested, and you probably aren't but I'm posting it anyway to answer my own original post.

The reason why Bee's won't take the Asda's (ready to roll) white icing is because it contains Glycerol, which makes other ingredients taste nasty to bees.

So there you are, that's the reason.

I bet at least one of you out there secretly wanted to know that didn't you.

Go on, own up.....go on!

yep, i did and now know thank you

 

[ratcatcher]

Thanks for replying.

Yes I agree, it could definitely harm your wallet if you just fed 'em White Icing.

I'm interested to hear that someone has tried it already.
If the Bee's ignored it that would suggest a smell from one of the additives put them off.

Looks like my block of icing's going to end up on a cake after all!

i used this stuff from asda's 27 days ago as an emergancy, bee's jumped on it like there was no tomorrow, saw no ill effect from it.
I was using a top bar nuc and had at the time no way of feeding sugar water, it was that or nothing

 

[chris600uk]

i used this stuff from asda's 27 days ago as an emergancy, bee's jumped on it like there was no tomorrow, saw no ill effect from it.
I was using a top bar nuc and had at the time no way of feeding sugar water, it was that or nothing

This is exactly the reason why I started this thread.

Thanks ratcatcher, and everyone else that commented.

My question has now been answered.
Presumably the Asda icing doesn't taste as nasty as the Tesco's fondant, and maybe it depends on how it was given.

Anyway, while I was trying to find the answers, the data that told me about the Glycerol is here: http://www.jas.org.pl/jas_54_1_2010_3.pdf
Feeding is important to them in Hisar, India, because they say that in their location the environment isn't as bee friendly as ours.
They also studied the difference in texture, and found slurry mixtures to be the best - see Finman's substitute pollen patty recipe.

I've already given them one solid patty 100g of 3:1:1 Soy flour, Brewers active yeast, skimmed dried milk, mixed with an equal amount of sugar candy, made with the minimum water to get it to mix, and then set. No cooking involved.
I made it with 250g of sugar, and then dampened it with water to mix it all together, then split it into 100g patties.
They seem to be taking it.

Next I'm going mix one with two egg yolks, because that'll make it into a sort of slurry mixture.


Of course if the weather improves - then I won't have to do any of this!

 

[protheroe]

i used a few kilos of fondant from tescos last year without any problems,the bees ate the lot

 

[chris600uk]

and I thought I had it sussed........

but it's obviously not that way at all.

So where I am now =
It doesn't appear to do any harm, if, the bee's decide to eat it.
Some will. and some won't.

 

[Poly Hive]

If you can chat up your local baker and get your fondant through them, it is sound for the bees, Bakers Fondant, and I use the stuff from Bako if I can.

PH