>I found that mold will not form in syrup containing HBH
Because HBH is antimicrobial.
HP, I googled HBH. I could not determine the bonafide ingredients although there are many sites claiming the recipe. The fella, Bob and his wife mfg the HBH and are not about to list the ingredients except for essential oils. I did read a letter from Bob to researchers where he included wintergreen oil as an ingredient.
From 2Sox: HBH inhibits mold, from M. Bush anti microbial are included. 2Sox appears to substantiate what M. Bush states.
Mold inhibitors and wintergreen oil are not friendly to the microbes in the bees gut. As M. Bush explained in some detail, the gut bacteria are necessary for health of the honey bee.
Consider the following:
The honey bees gut contains nutrients, warmth, and moisture. Whenever all three are present: food water and warmth; BACTERIA FLOURISH. There are two choices here for bacteria;
1. Bacteria that weaken or kill,
2. Bacteria that coexist and actually benefit the host, these are probiotic or good bacteria.
In the intestines there is always a constant battle every second of the day between these two types of bacteria. The good bacteria are essential for life as the good bacteria actually inhibit the bad bacteria. What I find interesting is the good bacteria are the same in humans as well as honeybees: lactobacillis and Bifido bacteria. Bifido was first isolated from human beast milk. Bifido keeps us all in good shape. When Bifido are hindered by whatever; antibiotics, evergreen oil, wine or beer in excess, then frequent unpleasant trips to the bathroom evolve as the bad bacteria gain a foothold in the gut. In short, Bifido bacteria prevents the Hershey squirts or dysentery as it is called in honeybees.
The big question, does HBH inhibit Bifido? Well,,, if HBH inhibits mold per 2Sox and contains antimicrobials per Bush, then on a more likely than not basis HBH would to some degree be detrimental toward Bifido in the honeybee gut.
M. Bush explained well on his earlier post at 10:32 am.
Disclaimer: I was a consultant for a California firm in 2018 producing honeybee probiotics and advised the specific bacteria species for honeybee probiotics which should be in distribution this day.
Bifidobacteriaceae regularis, isolated from human breast milk, I hate using scientific names, therefore I used BIFIDO.
Cheers