My MegaBee Fiasco

[slaphead]

OK, yesterday I attempted to mix up a batch of MegaBee for patties.  Reading the label it looked like I needed to prepare heavy syrup (2 pounds of sugar to 1 pint (16 ounces) of boiling water and then add Megabee to a 1:1.7  by weight.  So 2 pounds sugar + 1 pound water = 3 pounds, right?  3 pounds = 48 ounces.  Divide 48 by 1.7 and the amount of MegaBee to use should be 28.25 ounces, assuming I've understood the instructions correctly.  Well I guess I don't understand them because what I have is a thick goo that hasn't set into patties but does stick to everything it comes in contact with.  I right old mess.  Where did I go wrong?

SH

[Kathyp]

 :-D

have you put it between wax paper and put it in the fridge?  i would think that chilling it would set it up some.  + the bees don't care if it's a little gooey as long as it isn't dripping down on them.  if it will stay on the wax paper and they won't get stuck in it, it should work. just unchill it before you put it on the hive.  can you add more megabee to thicken it up some?

but....you shouldn't need to be feeding pollen at this time of the year.  we have lots out there.

[TimLa]

My girls, hived 4/15, are bringing in pollen at an alarming (huge) rate.  The feeder is barely being touched.  I wonder if feeding them is necessary...

-T

[Robo]

Sure you have the ratio right?   If I read it correctly,  you should be multiplying by 1.7 and not dividing.

[deerhunter]

My bees wont even touch the syrup now it honey flow time they know how to feed them self now  ;)

[slaphead]

Robo - "Sure you have the ratio right?   If I read it correctly,  you should be multiplying by 1.7 and not dividing."

I'll double check.  One thing is for sure I got it wrong  :-D

Kathyp - "have you put it between wax paper and put it in the fridge? "

Yes I tried that but to no avail.  My guess is I misunderstood the instructions as per Robo's suggestion.

"but....you shouldn't need to be feeding pollen at this time of the year.  we have lots out there."

Thank goodness we have.  I decided to play with the MegaBee last night to prep patties for the future and make sure I knew what I was doing.  Clearly I didn't.   :-\ Guess the up side is I can just add more MegaBee and avoid wasting this batch.  I'm sure the DW will be glad to see the back of the "ooze" residing in the fridge  8-)

Thank you for your help folks.  I'll try scraping the current mess back into a bowl and adding more MB.

SH

[Bee-Bop]

Did you leave it set for awhile after mixing ?
I believe you are suppose to to let it thicken up !

And it is still a STICKY mess, work only on wax paper, which I also spray with Pam, which then tears.

After freezing, and it thaws, still a STICKY mess.

One of the many parts of bee-keeping they don't tell you about !

Bee-Bop

[Eshu]

The way I read the directions you did it right. 1 lb. mix to 1.7 lbs heavy syrup.  They do say you can use 1:1.5 for thicker patties.

As others have suggested, you may not need patties at all.  In our climate there is always enough pollen.  My bees won't touch the fake stuff...

[Michael Bush]

Is there really anywhere that doesn't have real pollen available now?  I've never seen them take substitute when there is pollen.