# How do you preserve sugar syrup solution?



## msbees (Apr 19, 2015)

I'm a sideliner and scaling up my operation. I used to mix up my sryup/water feed in garbage cans and transfer to milk jugs to take to the bee yards. When the weather is good I am able to deliver via a pickup and just pour each gallon into a in-hive board feeder. When the weather is bad I have to move the gallon jugs into the bee yards via a 4 wheeler (real pain in the rear). My operation is getting to about 200 hives and I have to figure out a better way/more efficient way to feed my bees. Additionally, after I mix up 200 +/- gallons of feed I'm finding that I am having more left over as I lose hive(s), the hive(s) didn't take as much that week, or my mixing process made extra. Anyway, my sugar/sryup seems to start to mold in about 2 weeks as I live in Central Mississippi - warm, moist, high humidity, etc. I'm trying to run an efficient operation as possible and every dollar counts. How do I keep my sugar sryup form starting to mold/spoil? What's the best way to preserve it?


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## ctye (Apr 19, 2014)

I use a little Clorox. about a half a cup per 55 gallons. seems to work for me.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Use ascorbic acid to get the pH to 4.5. Make the syrup as strong as you can make and get it to dissolve. Somewhere between 5:3 and 2:1. If you can refrigerate, do.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Or use a .44 millimole thymol solution in any sugar concentration. No refrigeration needed.

Crazy Roland


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

If you are running short on time and assuming not too many neighbors, then you can always open feed. Bees got wings, so no more 4 wheeler. Thick syrup will help. I suppose you need to invest in a pump and tank. The pump can mix the syrup as you drive to the bees yard. Add water turn on pump, dump the sugar in and drive to the yard. When you get to the yard the syrup is mixed.Start feeding. Pump directly into the frame feeders. No need to transfer in jugs and so on. The time savings will more than pay for a pump, hoses and a tank.

Jean-Marc


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Roland said:


> Or use a .44 millimole thymol solution in any sugar concentration. No refrigeration needed.
> 
> Crazy Roland



Hi Roland. So what would that equal per gallon or better yet for 275 gallons?


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## Sadler91 (Nov 6, 2011)

Honey Bee Healthy works great. Keeps the syrup at least an extra 2-3 weeks


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## acbz (Sep 8, 2009)

beesohappy said:


> Hi Roland. So what would that equal per gallon or better yet for 275 gallons?


Millimoles are for chemistry tests. Try 0.25 grams per gallon. I often mix it at 0.75 grams per gallon. Supposedly helps with nosema. 
Aaron


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

acbz said:


> Millimoles are for chemistry tests. Try 0.25 grams per gallon. I often mix it at 0.75 grams per gallon. Supposedly helps with nosema.
> Aaron


:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

I read somewhere about feeding thymol to kill mites. Would this amount work or does it need to be stronger? Thymol solution? I have thymol crystal that I use after I melt it down. What is the solution you make Roland and Mike? Does it need an emulsifier?


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Life now is a chemistry test.

Start at 66 grams(.44 moles) per 263 gallons(1000 liters), or 69 grams per 275 gallons. Dissolve in ethanol, denatured or otherwise, and mix well. 

You all know(per ABJ article), that Randy Oliver claims no beekeepers measure their syrup concentration in moles, or maybe just the crazy ones. It REALLY is easier this way.

Crazy Roland


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

beesohappy said:


> I read somewhere about feeding thymol to kill mites.


You should check the credability of your source. I feed thymol to my hives all the time in the form of Honey Bee Healty, and they still have plenty of mites.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Thank you Roland. Looks like I need a lesson or two in chemistry.

I was talking to a gal at Lebermuth and she was telling me they tried running Honey Bee Healthy through a machine they have to test the amounts of essential oil or what it has in it and they determined there was to much sugar in it and it kept clogging the machine to get an accurate measument.  If you go to their website http://www.lebermuth.com/beekeeping/ it has some really good information and recipes.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

For many years we just mixed it with isopropyl alcohol heated in a water bath(from the book by Manley), but started doing it this way when I read this post on the UK Beekeeping forum. Of course we make adjustments for desired strength and quantity.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=49691&postcount=44


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Thymol to prevent molding of the syrup is a far, far weaker concentration than any mite killing thymol concoction. Dont get the two confused!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I feed thymol to my hives all the time in the form of Honey Bee Healty, and they still have plenty of mites.

I'm not saying thymol syrup will cure mites, but just for clarity, HBH has no Thymol in it. It contains lemongrass oil and spearmint oil. No thymol.


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## Jennings (Sep 23, 2012)

I have good luck with Mann Lake Pro Health (with Thymol). Last year two left over 5 gallon buckets sat all winter and were still good in the spring.


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

When I get a tanker load I split in to two 2500 gallon tanks I add 3 oz ea lemongrass, spearmint wintergreen and coco wet ( wetting agent) to each tank and that stops the mildew that will form from moisture condensing in the tank. Then I add that same amount of eo's to each 250 gallon tote and mix well then ready to feed.


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

David do you use any emulsifying agents with your oil or just throw it in?


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

I use a product called "coco wet" and use a stick blender mix it until it looks milk. Then when the tanker pump it into the tanks it blends right in. On my totes I make mixer that clamp on the frame.


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## davidsbees (Feb 22, 2010)

Before I started adding EO's the in side of my tanks would be black from mildew now they are clean and have not cleaned them in years.


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