# syrup?



## KGH (May 3, 2011)

It's a theory that says the sugar syrup can cause diseases or can make problem for bees. 
Does anybody know anything about this issue? 
and,if this is true what can we do instead?
Thanks.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I choose to feed syrup only when it is absolutely necessary. I remove the summer honey in a way that allows the bees to still store plenty of fall honey for the winter. I almost always have honey on hand that could be fed back to the bees if needed. Sugar syrup causing diseases, I'm not aware of this as fact. Lots of theories out there. If you're goal is treatment free, you would be inclined to only use sugar syrup as a stop gap method and strive to manage your bees in a way that provides them the diet they consume naturally.


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## Stephen (Mar 2, 2011)

I've read that* high fructose corn syrup *could be a possible cause of disease (no scientific evidence according to the article) but didn't see anything about regular sugar/water syrup. I'm new at this but from what I've observed with my 2 hives is now that the black berries are blooming they are pretty much ignoring the 1:1 syrup with honey b healthy I have out. I put out some fresh last night just in case in the old had went bad and there was only 5-10 bees on it at a time while I was watching.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

KGH said:


> It's a theory that says the sugar syrup can cause diseases or can make problem for bees.
> Does anybody know anything about this issue?
> and,if this is true what can we do instead?
> Thanks.


 
It is my firm belief, that in my part of the USA with long cold winters, *feeding sugar syrup too late in the fall, causes disease/health problems for managed colonies of honey bees. *The normal [in the wild!] chronological sequence of nectar harvest [*in my area*] is that the bees gather nectar from the late fall flowers,.like asters,and goldenrod. Very, very gradually,.. the nectar harvested is drastically reduced. The bees have time to reduce the moisture content of that nectar and cap it. Whatever is left, the bees consume during the last warm days of autumn. The *cured,* *capped nectar/syrup* is saved for the cold days of December,.. January, Feburary. If the bees are fed [*force fed!!*] too much sugar syrup too late in the autumn/fall for your particular area of the country, too much of it may be "stored",.uncapped.

I try to feed my bees 2:1 syrup in early autumn, but do not check the frames to see how much is capped,.or uncapped. Uncapped syrup in a hive may absorb moisture, and ferment over the winter and cause health problems [dysentary?] for the bees if they feed on it. Other than that, I see no problems with feeding sugar syrup, other than feeding too much or beyond what is necessary for the bee's health and survival.


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

> I choose to feed syrup only when it is absolutely necessary. I remove the summer honey in a way that allows the bees to still store plenty of fall honey for the winter


Well said! I had to laugh, the other day in chat I mentioned I was mixing some 1:1, someone asked me how much I mixed up at a time...my answer was 1/2 a quart :lpf:
Just a little boost for a swarm that I didn't have capped honey for, took them 2 hours to down it.


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