# The jelly in Californian packages - what is it made of?



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

A fellow I know bought some packages. Instead of the usual feeder can in the wire cage in the plastic "Bee-bus" there was an inverted grey plastic cup with a waist. In the cup was a clear jelly for food. Does anyone know what this stuff is. 
It seems to me that a dollop of this stuff might be a good thing to add to mating nucs. It wouldn't need a container as one could just drop it in the bottom of the nuc.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

I would like to know too......


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## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

deleted


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

:scratch:


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Adrian Quiney WI said:


> A fellow I know bought some packages. Instead of the usual feeder can in the wire cage in the plastic "Bee-bus" there was an inverted grey plastic cup with a waist. In the cup was a clear jelly for food. Does anyone know what this stuff is.
> It seems to me that a dollop of this stuff might be a good thing to add to mating nucs. It wouldn't need a container as one could just drop it in the bottom of the nuc.


Although I haven't seen it, it's brobably glucose gel like diabetics use only purchased in bulk because buying individual tubes is kinda spendy 

http://www.amazon.com/Glutose-Oral-Glucose-LEMON-Flavour/dp/B000OWK7RU


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## Sadler91 (Nov 6, 2011)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar

Had a friend mention to me that is was made with this. Could be wrong


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

I would bet sugar with agar... like some of the NZ package bees suppliers use. No spillage.

Jean-Marc


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Thanks folks, I appreciate it.


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## acbz (Sep 8, 2009)

It is an HFCS gel made with agar. Have personally spoken with Charlie Linder about how he makes it. My friend made a similar gel using sugar and agar.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

it is a HFCS made with Agar. The Agar stays gelled to about 150 regular gelitain is liquid at 95 since clusters hang at about 92.....

the trick is you can't heat HFCS when you process it, as if you boil HFCS its toxic to bees. Agar requires boiling. so its a bit tricky to process.

We are not happy with the container but its the 3rd year for the gel.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

acbz, do you have a recipe you can share please?


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Adrian - try the back of a package of Jello - doctored for the concentration of sugar of your desire.

Crazy Roland


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## bigken462 (Apr 19, 2016)

I finally might can add a useful suggestion as I don't yet have bees. In the home brewing community, we use Knox gelatin as a finning agent for fermented beer before it goes in the keg. This is the same stuff you use to make Jello with. I would think you could make up what ever recipe you need for feeding your bees and mix a package or two of Knox to get it to firm up. 

Just a idea, I have no experience to I don't know if this would be a practical thing to do or not. 

Ken


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

I am wondering if a couple of spoonfuls of this would be a good addition to a mating nuc at the time of adding the cell as it could provide the good humor syrup supplies, but with less risk of robbing as it wouldn't be as drippy. Roland, regular Jello may be worth a try, but I have never fed Jello to bees - have you?


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

The text books say the jelatin is bad for bees, but experience says otherwise. A few decades ago we acquired many pounds of honey gummy bears. They where sprinked on the top bars with no observed detrimental effect. 

Your results may vary.


Crazy Roland


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