Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: BeeHopper on August 31, 2006, 08:30:22 pm

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: BeeHopper on August 31, 2006, 08:30:22 pm

OK, where can I find it without the starch  :?:

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Brian D. Bray on September 01, 2006, 01:09:31 am

The strach helps keep the wings pressed. :)

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: BeeHopper on September 01, 2006, 09:10:23 am

Quote from: Brian D. Bray

The strach helps keep the wings pressed. :)

 :lol:

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Hi-Tech on September 12, 2006, 12:38:37 am

I would also like to hear about a good source for this...

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Michael Bush on September 12, 2006, 09:31:10 pm

If you're dusting for Varroa, don't worry about the starch.  Flour will do.  Powdered sugar seems to work a little better.  If you really need powdered sugar without starch, you can put it in the blender.  If you want fine sugar, but not really powdered exactly, you can buy the "beekeepers best" sugar from Mann Lake.

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: BeeHopper on September 13, 2006, 01:59:32 pm

Quote from: Michael Bush

If you're dusting for Varroa, don't worry about the starch.  Flour will do.  Powdered sugar seems to work a little better.  If you really need powdered sugar without starch, you can put it in the blender.  If you want fine sugar, but not really powdered exactly, you can buy the "beekeepers best" sugar from Mann Lake.

I want to dust the the mites off the workers by dusting between the frames, I got the impression that starch in powdered sugar was a danger to the bees and the amount of starch is not stated on the food label. So are we OK to use confectioners sugar with starch. :?:

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Michael Bush on September 13, 2006, 09:37:21 pm

>So are we OK to use confectioners sugar with starch. Question

I have no personal experience with using powdered sugar on mites except for the sugar shake method of detection.  But all the people I know of who do it use regular powdered sugar and say there is no problem.

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Brian D. Bray on September 14, 2006, 01:09:00 am

The starch, being a powder also works to dislodge the mites, just like any consumable fine powder would, even flour as noted in an earlier post.

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: BeeHopper on September 15, 2006, 06:13:12 am

Quote from: Brian D. Bray

The starch, being a powder also works to dislodge the mites, just like any consumable fine powder would, even flour as noted in an earlier post.

Thanks  :D

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: denart on September 23, 2006, 08:58:53 am

I have 2 1lb boxes of powerdered sugar sitting here in front of me

one lists ingredients as sugar,cornstarch  C&H confectioners powdered sugar
the other lists ingredients as 97% sugar, 3% cornstarch (added to prevent caking) Imperial 10X confectioners powdered.

I use the one that tells me how much is in it,  the 3% one...I have yet to find one that dosen't have cornstarch listed as an ingredient.

I know one beek that uses powered sugar, garlic powder and Coumaphos, all mixed togather in equal parts....thats scary...not gonna eat any of his honey

Dennis

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Michael Bush on September 23, 2006, 03:09:59 pm

If you want it without starch, you need "bakers" sugar or "drivert" sugar.  You might find it at a baking supply.  You can buy it from Mann Lake.  You can make small batches with regular sugar in a blender.

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: Mici on September 23, 2006, 03:34:14 pm

why don't you grind normal sugar?? works the same

Title: Powdered Sugar
Post by: BeeHopper on September 26, 2006, 04:09:10 pm

Quote from: Mici

why don't you grind normal sugar?? works the same

I don't have a .................blender.  :oops:

Title: Re: Powdered Sugar
Post by: hiptfarms on November 19, 2006, 09:06:12 pm

use a coffee grinder to grind regular sugar - it works great.