What Sugar:Water Ratio do Bees Prefer in a Dearth? - Jacksonville FL Zone 9b
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- #Honeybee #Beekeeping #QueenRearing #Bees #Florida #zone9garden #zone9b #zone9 #Apiary #Beekeeper #Grafting #Swarm #SwarmTrap #OxalicAcid #Varroa #SmallHiveBeetle #SHB #Langstroth
My name is Chuck Cook and I am a beekeeper In Jacksonville, FL. Hardiness zone 9b. Please engage in the discussion by leaving a comment.
Another interesting experiment! Love it!
Thank you! Cheers!
A little food coloring to find if any is being stored?
I tried a couple of days ago with 1:2, they devoured it in no time.
Thanks for your experiments!
Glad you found it helpful.
Great news if 1-1 sugar water can be mixed at 3 parts water to 1 part sugar $$$ 👍also I’m in st. Augustine, as of today 7/3/24 my girls are NOT taking any sugar water(1-1), nor are they even remotely interested in my drawn combs ? Honey is super light color, VERY good honey harvest this year, maybe best in my 7 years 👍🇺🇸
Great news, thanks for the comment.
Chuck
The India s did the study they came up with 1:1.3
Been using it a while. The point is 2hat they do with it not just the rate they takeit up. They brood much better and draw comb much better as it seems to be Clos to an average nectar flow somewhat. Try that. And read the Univ of India study I r honk
Thank you for the reference!
Yep i use this ratio too. got it from bob binnie video
The problem with that study is that they stopped there, and didn't investigate how much thinner might be good. Maybe 1:1.5 is better?
Chuck. I tried 1:4 in an open feeder and they took 3 gallons in a little over an hour. Definitely will continue using it.
Great news.
Could you do another experiment that tests the productivity of the different values?
Maybe a few hives that are as similar as possible in building comb/etc.
Feed one give the 1:1, another 1:2, etc. then at the end gauge comb buildout/etc.
I love that they take the syrup down quickly but if it isn’t triggering productivity…is it worth doing?
That would be quite a bit more involved but will put some thought to it.
@@chuckshoneybees for sure and somewhat more involved. Would probably require repeating to confirm and such!
I appreciate the videos! My mentor recommended them here in SWMO.
Thanks for replies. Question...have 10 hives in same corner of property, how far away from the hives do I place the feeder? I mixed 1:1 but actually added a bit more water to make it 1:1.2 .
Its not an exact science, but think of a distance that a forager coming to the feeder would not find a weak hive for robbing.
@@chuckshoneybees I have all 10 hives in a crescent 🌙 shape spaced about 1-2' or so apart. The feeder is about 40-50' away currently. Am using a farm tuff chicken waterer. Have an extra not using for chickens. Have some wood chips around the ring for bees to land on. Probably shift to large gravel or 1" rocks. Tested 1.5 gallons to see if they take, started hitting it but afternoon next day. 4.5 gallons yesterday evening added down to less than 2 right now.
As hot as it is here in nebraska, I figure they need more water anyway.
Nice to find you in Jacksonville, FL. I am "up the road a piece" in coastal GA so our beekeeping seasons are similar.
Welcome to the channel!
I liked this video because you used grams.
Glad you enjoyed it.
LOVED your scientific approach. LOVED the fact that you use grams as a unit. NOT SO HAPPY that you would not publish your video, if the experiment failed!!! We all learn from our mistakes. Thanks for this :)
What I meant was, if the bee's drank the syrup at the same rate, I probably would have adjusted the ratio's and filmed again. I have been trying to get this test out for a while now. I don't mind posting unexpected or poor results, but I wanted it to show something :) Thanks for the feedback.
Very timely video, Chuck. I've been using 1:1.5 and was going thinner. I'm giving the 1:4 a try.
Watched you on Bruce’s bees, your the first in my area with videos which is AWESOME, I am 7 years into bee keeping, been trying to time my “chores” around all other states beekeepers videos, now we have a local very informative guy 😉🇺🇸
Glad you found the channel! Welcome.
Loved it. We need more people to do these kinds of tests. ... Thank you Would love to see it go farther
Glad you enjoyed it!
What I’ve you stack the jars to throw of their gps
I have been using 1- 1.5 for a while. Bees from a swarm catch do take it better and seem to brood up and recover faster. I have no data to support that statement, just what I see.
Thanks for the data point.
Great video!! So interesting, 1:4 could save alot of money!! I am going to try this and see if there is any change. Just subscribed to your channel !! Cant wait to see your other videos !!
Thanks for the sub! Love to have your feedback and experience with your feeding changes.
Chuck, can we get some close ups of the holes in your lid? Ive tried different size holes and keep losing all my sugar water! Tried watching your old videos but still can't get it right. Thanks as always!
They are small little holes made by a nail you might hang a small picture with. Probably 1mm hole. The size of the hole should not matter that much as long as there is a seal on the lid when you close it.
Would like to see 1.5:1 and 2:1 as well.
Chuck, one use of your experiment could be for beeks that are feeding during the dearth so they aren't robbing so much. The 1 to 4 syrup would make 4 times as much feed that would keep the bees busy for a much longer time.
On the one to one, because it is thicker the bees would have a harder time pulling it out of those little holes. I wonder what results you would have if you used four open feeders with straw on top?
Good thoughts. I am not sure I agree with the thickness causing a slower consumption. Because the gravity keeps a drop at the bottom from which the bees consume. So they don't really pull it out, it falls out and they lick it up.
I put a 25lb bag in a 27 gallon tote fill the tote almost to the top with water, and a splash of vinegar and mix with a drill throw straw on it and call it a day.
Ah, the open feeding controversy has started
Hi Chuck. Bob found an extensive study out of India on syrup dilution and effect. This was a bout 4 years ago. It showed that 1:2 was the best brood and comb building. 1:3 did well in the summer. I've been doing it the last 3 years and works well for me in the northeast as our springs are VERY slow... You attending expo?
Thanks for the note. Which expo are you speaking about?
@@chuckshoneybees THE EXPO. ;) The one in Louisville first week of January. It's like nothing else and all the UTube creators are expected to show. Nah just 90%. Being around 2500 Beekeepers is something else. The deals (bring cash- no tax) are fantastic. Coming in 2 SUV's this year to load up. If you're into fine dining they have some awesome restaurants. I do my research :)
@@craigkirich9646 I would like to attend next year. I have never been before. MIght have to drive the Cybertruck to haul stuff home.
@@chuckshoneybees Oh for sure! I would love to ride in one. It's on my list but a couple years way. The people are just fantastic, the speakers very informative and of course the deals! I found a "tiny" James Beard award wining chef's restaurant, sooo pretentious it's a fantastic event. If you're never been to one, it's memorable to say the least.
Thank for the experiment
The experiment we all want! Thank you
Glad to do it.
I wonder if climate (heat and humidity) will change their preference. Under high humidity, I’d think they’d go for a thicker syrup so humidity isn’t so high inside the hive.
Lots of variables. Good point.
This was a good experiment
Thanks!
Ok, so 1:1 (1 kg water : 1 kg sugar) is the thickest and 1:6 is the thinnest (1 kg water : 0,16 kg sugar)? Am I getting it right?
Yep. One part sugar, 6 parts water is 1:6
Thank you for replying and for the video. Now I'm ready for summer dearth here in Serbia.
Very Interesting
Glad you think so!
Nice info… keep in mind joung bees don’t make wax
Not sure what you mean, but most research shows that house bees less than 20 days old are the bees that produce the wax. This research states that the maximum wax production is by bees that are 9 days old. www.umdbeelab.com/updates/factors-that-affect-wax-production-in-honey-bees
Great experiment
Thank you! Cheers!
I believe Frederick Dunn has done a similar thing, and concluded the bees will go after the highest carbs. This doesn’t test anything about comb building- which you stated.
You would have to set up different hives with different concentrations and judge the differences.
Depends on what you are trying to get the hive to do.
Calories are calories . This is dumb Just feed them 1-1 and if they need to add water theh will. Good try People way overthink
Sorry, but I disagree with you. If you were correct, we would feed 2:1 or higher year round, but we don't because it is known it takes more energy to digest and turn 2:1 into food for brood, and they don't generate wax, and it takes more bees to fetch the water for dilution. So there is something to the ratio to learn here.
Agreed. In Michigan nectar flow and season is shorter. Don't want bees to have added unnecessary work to dilute thicker syrup.