Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => NATURAL & ORGANIC BEEKEEPING METHODS => Topic started by: DayValleyDahlias on April 27, 2007, 07:35:34 pm

Title: Feeding Bees/Naturally
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on April 27, 2007, 07:35:34 pm
I see a lot re: feeding bees, bee feeders, sugar water, HFCS, pollen patties and such...

High Fructose Corn Syrup is horrible for humans, I am guessing it isn't so great for bees either...What would be the "oraganic" method of feeding bees?
Title: Re: Feeding Bees/Naturally
Post by: Mici on April 27, 2007, 07:41:58 pm
organic or Eco is only honey. the best SUBSTITUTE for the stolen honey is rafined white sugar. pollen patties are something completely different.
but i think that feeding honey is not recommended, at least the unknown source honey, because of possibility of AFB or other diseases
Title: Re: Feeding Bees/Naturally
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on April 27, 2007, 08:08:42 pm
OOOHHHH I see...so that is why no honey....does anyone here feed oraganic sugar from sugar cane?  Are there supplements that are ever added to the sugar water to fortify the drink??
Title: Re: Feeding Bees/Naturally
Post by: Mici on April 27, 2007, 08:25:17 pm
sugar cane sugar? that's the brown one right? unappropriate, too much "hard stuff" in it, they can't digest it.
adding vitamins can't hurt, people do it all the time, from adding a table spoon of vitamin powder drink, to adding vitamin C tablets. very common is also feeding "tea", from thyme, absinthe, sage...even mixing garlic and adding it.
Title: Re: Feeding Bees/Naturally
Post by: Kirk-o on April 27, 2007, 10:26:32 pm
I use a frame of honey sometimes from one of my hives when I have a swarm.I also don't take all the honey either I let them have enough to get through the hard times like in the last of july and in August.But in the spring when things start to pick up I take honey then also. I don't feed anymore.
kirko