one to one sugar water to draw comb?

[adamant]

i need to draw out comb on my new packages. is 1 to 1 sugar feed the right mixture? i could remember someone saying that.

[AllenF]

That is right.

[David McLeod]

All I ever mix up is 3/2 and have never noticed a difference.

[samuils]

i need to draw out comb on my new packages. is 1 to 1 sugar feed the right mixture? i could remember someone saying that.

Not sure if I get your question? Are you asking if a certain sirup mixture gives certain (different) results? If thats the question than, the only thing that stimulates bees to draw comb is the flow, excess of food.  As fa as mixture, I use Micheal Bush's which is 5 to 3 (5 sugar, 3 water).

[divemaster1963]

i need to draw out comb on my new packages. is 1 to 1 sugar feed the right mixture? i could remember someone saying that.

ust remember that it can take a lot of sugar to get them drawing comb and at the same time they will be filling it with the sugar water also. so keep a I on them when you are doning it.

john

[Michael Bush]

>i need to draw out comb on my new packages. is 1 to 1 sugar feed the right mixture? i could remember someone saying that.

It will work fine except it will work no better than 5:3 and it won't keep as long.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#ratios

[Wits End]

My nuc tops have feeder holes for quart jars and I have migration covers with feeder holes and a new swarm always gets sugar water until they stop taking it or no longer need it. Especially if they need to draw comb. I guess my mix is similar to Michaels as I fill a quart jar over half full of sugar then fill the rest with hot water and shake until completely dissolved. Let it cool, add a feeder lid and feed. Makes my swarms draw really good.

[shinbone]

Will adding Honey Bee Healthy increase syrup take-up and thereby increase comb production?

[Michael Bush]

>Will adding Honey Bee Healthy increase syrup take-up and thereby increase comb production?

In my experience it greatly increases robbing and kills off the gut bacteria... but it may increase comb production if they don't get robbed.

[windfall]

witsend,

with that process I think you are making a solution weaker than 1:1, no where near 5:3 (sugar:water). There is a lot of space between sugar crystals, plus the empty half jar above the sugar.

[mikecva]

Since water comes in at about 8.34 lbs/gal of water, 25 pounds of sugar to 3 gallons of water gives you 1:1 syrup. This will give about 4.8 gallons of syrup. I never push for for a full gallon of water (about a cup short) that way I am guaranteed to be just stronger then 1:1. When I am trying to build out comb I always have a pollen patty on as well but I remove all syrup when the nectar flow starts.  -Mike

[Wits End]

witsend,

with that process I think you are making a solution weaker than 1:1, no where near 5:3 (sugar:water). There is a lot of space between sugar crystals, plus the empty half jar above the sugar.

If you get specific you may be right, my point is you need to feed new swarms if they will take it and it works wonders for my bees.

[buzzbee]

witsend,

with that process I think you are making a solution weaker than 1:1, no where near 5:3 (sugar:water). There is a lot of space between sugar crystals, plus the empty half jar above the sugar.

I fill half way with boiling water the add the sugar if I want 1:1 .

[Michael Bush]

>I guess my mix is similar to Michaels as I fill a quart jar over half full of sugar then fill the rest with hot water and shake until completely dissolved. Let it cool, add a feeder lid and feed.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#weightorvolume

Don't confuse the issue of how you measure. Measure before you mix. In other words, you can't fill a container 1/3 of the way with water, and add sugar until it's 2/3 full and have 1:1 syrup. You'll get more like 2:1 syrup. Likewise, you can't fill it 1/3 of the way with sugar and then add water until it's 2/3 full and have 1:1 syrup. You'll get more like 1:2. You have to measure both separately and then put them together to get an accurate measurement. I find the easiest is to use pints for water and pounds for sugar since the sugar comes in packages marked in pounds and volume is easy to measure for water. So if you know you are going to add 10 pounds of sugar and you want 1:1 then start with 10 pints of boiling water and add the 10 pounds of sugar.