Author Topic: standing sugar water (Read 2033 times)

filmmlif · « **on:** January 23, 2006, 12:55:58 pm »

we had a warm spell here in texas so i fed the hives...the bees didn't take much of it so should i remove it or just let it be?

Finsky · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2006, 01:22:25 pm »

Quote from: filmmlif

we had a warm spell here in texas so i fed the hives...the bees didn't take much of it so should i remove it or just let it be?

You should look inside the hive and see how much they need food.
If they do not take food, even if they need, pour it into combs.

Summerbee · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2006, 11:29:54 am »

It is my experience (which isn't much) that if the bees aren't eating the sugar water, mold will grow inside the jar, or whatever container you have. I suppose this is not good, so I usually change and clean out any feeders at least once a week. Wouldn't mold encourage AFB?

Michael Bush · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2006, 07:56:37 pm »

>It is my experience (which isn't much) that if the bees aren't eating the sugar water, mold will grow inside the jar, or whatever container you have.

It does.

> I suppose this is not good, so I usually change and clean out any feeders at least once a week.

I wait until they are empty and then clean them with some distilled vinegar and water.

> Wouldn't mold encourage AFB?

No. AFB is a bacteria that is unrealted to the mold. It MIGHT actually DISCOURAGE EFB, but I wouldn't count on it. I know that the mold that causes Chalkbrood (also a different mold than the stuff in the syrup) kills EFB.