Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[AndyC]

Anyone on here using Apple cider in their syrup to prevent mould growth?

Any other natural remedies?

[Ollie]

Hi
Hope this isn't a silly question but would that mixture not ferment? The yeast in the cider plus syrup?

If not what is it used for?

Ollie

[AndyC]

That's what is confusing me.

My syrup gets a black mould and funny smell after only a week or two and I read that cider vinegar stops it.

Thymol too but not happy about putting chemicals into it.

[jumbleoak]

Both Thymol and Cider Vinegar contain chemicals.

[AndyC]

Yes but thymol does not dissolve readily in water so needs special treatment to be used whereas vinegar can be used directly and is more easily available.

[Barbara]

If your syrup is concentrated enough ie 2:1, it should not go mouldy in that time in my experience. Also, if they are not taking it down within a week, then I would suggest you are probably giving them too much at one go or they don't need it.

I feed mine a jam jar full at a time on an evening so that there is less chance of robbers and even a small colony can take that down pretty much over night.

It's getting quite late in the season now to still be feeding syrup though.

I have in the past added lemon juice to syrup to invert it, when I have needed to feed it, but these days I just keep it simple with sugar and water and let the bees do the rest and that works just fine.

[AndyC]

Thanks Barbara

This is a small batch of 1:1 and in the storage container not in the feeder.

I cleaned the containers with soda and boiling water and still one had black mould and an odd smell after a week.

Take you point about making it fresh though and i am finsihing feeding now too,

[Barbara]

1:1 syrup won't keep and personally I would not use it at this time of year.

During the latter part of the summer and autumn the bees should be laying down stores for winter, rather than consuming syrup for comb building and brood rearing. To store it, it needs to be evaporated down to a thick consistency so that it will not ferment. It therefore makes more sense to feed them thicker syrup to start with, so that there is less work for the bees to do before they store it and also less moisture/condensation being introduced into the hive at a time when it is getting cooler and conditions are prime for mould growth in the hive.

I would only feed thin syrup (1:1 or less) in the spring and early summer when they are actively consuming it to help with building up the colony and they need "ready to eat" food.

Now they mostly need food to go in the "larder", so it makes sense to feed them something that will keep and be easily stored, ie thick syrup or fondant.

I hope that makes sense as I know a lot of people struggle to grasp what strength of syrup to use at different times of the year and I think it helps to understand what the bees need it for in order to know what to give them.

Regards

Barbara

[Turbulence]

I'm going to give some of these a go