So I just watched a similar test video. So now I'm just confused. It's a brief video, thought you might want to watch! ua-cam.com/video/cp-rY--l81Y/v-deo.html
I've done this test several times under varying conditions with the same results as shown. The outcome is the same and it's repeatable by anyone anywhere. I honestly can't comment in a meaningful way about the video you've shared. I don't know all of the variables used in that example, but a single test with two drinkers would not be enough to satisfy my curiosity. I didn't have a single test where the bees preferred Honey B Healthy, or even Pro-Health over straight "filtered" sugar water. They issue may lie with the quality of the water used? City water would have a chlorinated aspect that the bees may decline when faced with the scented Honey B Healthy... if he repeated the test with distilled water... then added suger.. then added HBH to one, the results may be different. Without a clean-untreated water standard, the test has issues that must be considered. Smell tap water that has been through city treatment systems? It's not something I like drinking, let alone the bees. I hope that gives you some more food for thought? It's also why I discuss the PUR water filter system... gets all that smell/taste out of the water.
Thanks Priestess, I went and watched that video. Mr Dunn has a good response here since we don't know the parameters of that guy's test. I'm confused also.
Interesting. Perhaps I will ask him more about his test. Your swift reply was much appreciated! It's always encouraging when even larger channels still answer questions/comments. I guess the only other thing I could think of is that could it be possible that only certain hives would be preferring the Honey B Healthy, if perhaps they are lacking in some essential nutrient in that particular hive, due to local conditions... (:::lots of head scratching here..:::)
For those who complained about the music or narration, here is another camera view with only natural sounds: ua-cam.com/video/-IZlIcuku48/v-deo.html and a special thanks to those who are easy to please!
So, the beekeeper is more attracted to so-called "feed stimulants" than are bees. Further evidence that the essential oil fad is nothing more than a fad. Thanks for adding a little science to the discussion.
Hi Blaine, yes, I think that there is a conspicuous absence of scientific support and you're probably correct in that it's marketing to "people" more than the bees. It probably doesn't hurt though. I am left with more questions than answers. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Question is though, bees preference does not necessarily mean that it's more healthy for their diet. Humans also prefer sugar to honey, but we know honey is more nutricious. This experience just simply tells bees prefer sugar but doesn't mean it's healthy for them.
Wow! All this after I just made a half gallon of homemade HBH. To be fair......you had this up for over 4 years......so that's on me. Glad I didn't buy it. I really wouldn't have thought it was THAT big of a difference, but they were clearly avoiding it when they had a choice. Thanks for sharing!
It's not wasted, HBH does extend the life of your sugar syrup. But they overwhelmingly demonstrate a preference for sugar syrup with nothing but water in it.
I have watched most of your videos and plan to learn how to be a bee keeper as a total newcomer. Your videos are most informative and soothing. I plan to use the flow hive. I'll continue to be your student. Thank you.
Thanks for the tests, have enjoyed them. Noticed when the bees started going for the HBH that the left drinker was in the sun. Wonder what effect temp has on their feeding preferences...
That is interesting. When I've used it, I had them coming into the house searching for that smell. The hives are 100 so yards out back and I had the front door open.
An interesting note not related to sugar but rather only water, on my property I have a massive abundance of water sources, lakes, ponds, creeks and much more. I've found honey bees congregating at a certain spring which is really just a trickle out of the side of the hill and I don't usually see them elsewhere. I've noticed that they like certain water sources just like we do.
That spring, like many springs, may be full of mineral content and they also like high iron. I have a spring fed pond that they used to go to until I started offering sea-salt boosted water near the apiary. IF you have a leaky hose bib on your house, they tend to like to drink from that dripping source as well. Concrete bird baths are also popular with bees as the concrete leeches into the water also. Thank you for watching and sharing!
From your videos I'm setting up a 2 gallon feeder with Mortan Sea Salt, one 2 gallon sugar water and a 5 gallon of plain water and replenish as necessary
this is the first time i even thought abt this things. it was like a class for me. i m in to bee keeping bt not large. bt the way i m jeneesh from India.
I only feed new packages early spring and have given choice and HBH was preferred in my experience - not free feed but baggies in the same hive with and without and not observed, just checked the days later to see if they need more and the HBH baggies were empty and the sugar water alone were not... but I did use water out of the tap and saw in your comment that might have an impact. This was interesting, though!
I make up batches of syrup outside in a stock pot over a propane burner. Not many bees or yellow jackets are attracted while I am doing so unless I add the stimulant during the process. Which I no longer do! It is only after I transfer the newly-made syrup into holding buckets that I add the feeding stimulant. Once added, the bucket lid goes on because otherwise it would, indeed, attract bees and yellow jackets. The stimulant does a wonderful job preventing mold. And, of course, I would hope that there are (albeit elusive and as-yet unproven) health benefits for my bees.
Those are the results I want to see done as a scientific study Dave, the claims regarding mold prevention and even varroa repellant? It's an area that needs some real science and thanks for sharing your methods!
Some folk in Yorkshire , keeping bee's could not understand why the honey was purple red yellow blue . Until the that discovered it wasn't honey ,but a kind of sirup .They found out that the bee's were visiting the skips dumpster of a sweet factory miles away .
There are many recipes and brands of "B healthy" out there. I got a similar experience with the same brand used here with the majority of the bees tested. However, some bees were attracted at the same ratio to the sugar water and the sugar water + B Health in other experiments. It is inconclusive to me so far if this has some benefit or not. Keep the good work, Frederick. Cheers.
One of the tests where the bees went for the Honey B Healthy over the simple sugar water was when the sugar water was composed of city (chlorinated/treated) water and the Honey B Healthy successfully covered the scent of that water while simply mixing with sugar didn't. So if distilled, or highly filtered water is the base liquid prior to adding sugar and Honey B Healthy, the bees will take to sugar water first. Because "Honey B Healthy" is a brand name and also a specific mixture, the company under that name has only one formula. BUT, there are many options out there offering essential oil mixes. I've only tested the top two prepared mixes on the market and those are Honey B Healthy and Pro Health. There are currently no scientific studies supporting the health benefits of essential oils for honeybees. I am hoping that a grad student somewhere, possibly Cornell University, will conduct a study which will dismiss or support the claims posted by those marketing essential oils, or essential oil mixtures for HoneyBees. Yes, there are many people sharing their recipe and there are infinite variations. We'll keep learning. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Frederick Dunn I will do it. My new job here at university of Florida is to work only with bee research addressed to commercial beekeepers. I’ll test all these products. I will post my findings in my channel. Let’s have a chat one of these days. Cheers.
THAT would be FANTASTIC... when you have your study results and a decent baseline, I will happily give you a shout-out during one of my bee videos and will link your UA-cam for others to view. I am so glad you are going to be doing that. Even if the findings/experiments do not support the benefits, we'll have answers. I can't tell you how happy I am to know you will be doing that. Thank YOU!
Frederick Dunn Do you use organic sugar like coconut sugar or just regular table sugar. I thought table sugar is bad for bees because its processed, it takes all the nutrients out of the sugar and is whitened
Very interesting. I appreciate your documentation and experimentation. I would have guessed the result to be quite different. I use HBH often when feeding my bees, but sometimes I don’t have any on hand. I believe supplements and essential oils are beneficial, but there are many factors I suppose. Based on this experiment, which I encourage others to do ( including myself)....I would think that the sugar water is more important than anything. It’s possible that maybe different species/hives in different environments need more or less than others. The scent of HBH is indeed an attractant, which could be good and bad. It will attract all types of insects, so it might be best used as an outside source and not within the hive if you have trouble with robbing...but could be very beneficial to a weak/sick hive or to prevent mold in the sugar water.
Thank you for sharing, have you had a "weak/sick" hive that was refreshed and improved by using the recommended HBH "Drench Formula"? Thanks, this is a very interesting area for observation and learning.
Your welcome ,Fred. To try and answer the question is tough. I'm still classed as a novice. That's how I see myself. To use the mix as a concentrate,diluting it down to a cup per gallon of pure 1:1 or 2:1 or half a cup for half a gallon. I feel it's a way to help protect the bees immune system. Pure honey is obviously the best but they need help against pests and fungal diseases. Winter green and tea tree oil in the mix will combat chalk brood and the nemesis of the lil girls,the dastardly varroa mite. You can correct me if I'm wrong Frederick,as I said this is our second season. Randy Oliver said it best at a seminar. Bees require 3 things to survive. 1.a warm dry home. 2 .a plentiful supply of pollen and nectar. 3. Help with pest and disease control(wasps,varroa etc etc).
Thanks Shaun, let the learning continue. Randy is coming to speak to the PA Beekeepers Assn this year, he's plain spoken and a lot of fun, he commented that he has a name for hobby beekeepers "varroa farmers" he's a healthy skeptic regarding bee nutrition supplements.
Thank you I do think that the bees will like sugar water by itself more than honeybee coffee but it's not about feeding them it's about treating them for varroa mites and nosema and I think it probably does help them eventually but I want to make my own and give it a shot
Bees preference does not necessarily mean that it's more healthy for their diet. Humans also prefer sugar to honey, but we know honey is more nutricious. This experience just simply tells bees prefer sugar but doesn't mean it's healthy for them. My feeling is that the Bee Collapse Syndrome is somehow linked to human feeding sugar to bees lessening their immunity to diseases among other factors.
Hi Paul, all of the containers have the same sugar/water ratio in them. Essential oils are sold often as a "stimulant" in order to get bees to take in more carbs. The test simply demonstrates that the essential oils do not encourage the bees to take in more carbs than sugar water alone. I make no claims about the health benefits which are claimed by the manufacturers. There is no science that has proven essential oils improve bee health and as in this case, also does not stimulate feeding over regular sugar water. Again, the sugar content of all containers is the same.
I do not use honey bee healthy or the alternative but ive done some testing with a top feeder. Using 10 drops of lemongrass oil emulsified in 2 quarts 1:1 sugar water. On average regardless of dearth or hive population the sugar water with lemongrass oil is taken 2x as fast. Whether its healthy for them i dont know.
Hi Frederick. Ok we live in the uk and our climate is a lot different to that of various states north versus south per say. We use not honey bee healthy, but a variant of it. It's a recipe from the fat bee man that's been tweaked by little bits honey joe may. The bees go crazy for it. The recipe is on one of his videos he shows exactly how to make and the items required i.e. A glass food blender. Yes the mix contains In small measured quantities listed. Granulated sugar Water Essential oils. Lemon grass Spearmint or peppermint Wintergreen Tea tree oil That's basically it. Once mixed to the required concentrate add half a cup 1/2 gallon of 1:1 or 2:1 syrup. I feel and maybe I'm alone on this. Honey bee healthy is an expensive product that not all bees like. I'm sorry if anyone feels different that's my feelings. The mix is fantastic and costs hardly anything to make.the wintergreen adds an aroma inside the hive which helps combat against varroa. The tea tree oil helps fight against fungal diseases. Please try the mix you will be surprised on the wonderful results. Little bits honey joe may. If we can as bee keepers worldwide help an extra % of hives to over winter that's all for the benefit of the lil girls( sorry bees ). Thanks for the great videos
Thank you for sharing all of this information. Don is a funny guy and he definitely likes to do things his way : ) I guess the question we have to ask is why do we think we need to create these mixes in the first place? Is there a measurable improvement, or do we just "think" it must be helping the bees? I'm wide open on this subject and will be happy to learn from several sources. I appreciate that you shared in such great detail!
Your great videos got me thinking of a possible variant, or additional hypothesis, to test: if the sugar/water solution (without any additives) is better for long-term health versus a solution with a commercial supplement added; and to determine if the bees are only consuming the plain sugar/water solution first (or faster) because it tastes better. I’d compare this to a condition in which a small child was presented with a chocolate bar and a piece of broccoli. In most situations the chocolate would be eaten first. However, the chocolate does not provide anywhere near the nutritional value of the broccoli, and the chocolate does not have the "long-term" benefits a vegetable would have to the body, versus candy. Just because it (the chocolate) was consumed first (or faster) doesn’t dismiss the potential the product consumed second, or slower, (the broccoli) does not have benefits as well.Not sure how an experiment could be setup to apply this honey bees, but I wonder what we could do to test the potential long-term benefits/consequences (if any) of a commercial product added to a syrup solution, versus a "plain" syrup solution.Thanks again for the great videos!
The only proven advantage of the essential oils, has been that it extends the freshness of the sugar syrup. Essential oils have not, to date, proven to improve honey bee health. Instead, they are marketed as a feed "stimulant" in order to get weaker colonies to take in the sugar syrup. As shown here, the bees already have an appetite for sugar syrup, without the stimulant additive. The stories of benefits have been anecdotle and not scientifically reinforced. Nothing will be more nutritious to the bees than divere forage. Sugar syrup is an emergency carbohydrate used only when honey supers are not yet on, and when the honey is not to be consumed by humans. Emergency feed, not for human consumption (iaw essential oil labeling). I will talk about this on Friday during my Q&A. Thanks for giving it so much thought.
Hi Michael :) not sure who the "downvote" was, but they do it on almost every video I post and the upside of that downvote is that engagement counts good, or bad, so they are actually helping without knowing it. But it would be helpful to hear their concerns. Unless it's someone who I've already blocked due to streams of profanity (';').. they can still "vote" Have a GREAT weekend!
I did look for some viable research on this product and other than an article, there haven't been any published papers on the measurable benefits of this additive.
Given its notoriety, I am surprised you could find no reports of its bona fide tested benefits. Their site does not list such measureable results, though many claimed benefits are listed: honeybhealthy.com/HoneyBHealthy.html
I was also surprised by that and yes, I checked out the article links on their site. There is room for a thorough study of several additives that are currently recommended for honey bee health improvement. But, it seems like a variety of non-scientific opinions prevail here. Randy Oliver is giving a talk to the PA Beekeepers and he's stated that there is no "science" behind these claims "yet". Hopefully, Randy or someone else with the resources for a real study will take this on in the near future.
Processed cane sugar is fine for making sugar syrup for the honey bees. Many beekeepers don't like the beet sourced sugar, but no detrimental issues have been noted. But if you want to go with the least controversial, pure cane sugar.
Is the honeybee healthy formula too strong to be used in a top round feeder. My bees seem to do fine with sugar syrup, but when I add the formula to it, they eat less and I find a few dead bees in the syrup.
Frederick, great videos, very informative. I’d love to see a review of Gunther Hauk’s recipe for “bee tea” vs sugar water. It’s not a product to buy, but to make.If you search, you should find the link to his website and recipe. Perhaps next spring for a new feeding video you could use this. Again maybe with and without the herbs and flower infusion that his recipe calls for vs sugar water vs HBH.
Hi smportis, thanks! For now, I'm reviewing marketed formulas as they have some consistency. I think that if I get into mixing my own, the quality variables wouldn't be tight enough for very good repeatability in other regions. BUT, anything is possible. For not, I'm working with Honey B Healthy and Pro-Health mixtures. Tomorrow I'm giving a seminar to a Biology group at Edinboro University and I'm hoping to inspire some of the undergrads to get into meaningful research on essential oils and their impact on varroa etc... thank you for your suggestion, there are lots of holistic approaches out there. I'm not convinced that I need to be following this method personally.
The Honey Bee Healthy product is for helping the bees deal with the mites and other pest they're exposed to. The lemon grass is a kind of desinfectant and deoderant. Since it's natural plant it's not toxic.
Hive alive is proven to provide nutrition and is composed with sea weed among other things. I think it's strongest ingredient is Thymol, oil from Thyme plants. Studies have shown that Hive alive improves honey bee health while that has not been the case with Honey-B-Healthy unless they alter their formula.
There are problems associated with bee sysentary and brown/natural or RAW sugar, so I don't recommend using anything but white processed cane sugar. So, I don't buy any other types.
Maybe their instincts are to choose a simple water mix given that in nature, something sketchy could be in a complex mix, resulting in death or disease. Doesn't mean that the additives are bad.
1 to 1 plane sugar water taken at same rate as 2 to 1 sugar water - more or less (bottles #1 and #3). Honey B Healthy was slowly taken taken while there was plane sugar water to drink. While it is not marked, I am guessing that the H B H.was at the same concentration in #2 and #4. Again not marked but I am guessing that #2 and #4 also had sugar mixed in as well but I did not see or hear you say if it was 1 to1 in both #2 and #4 or if it was like bottles #1 band #3. Otherwise good experiment. Good point about about the pungent sent of these oils. Maybe this is the reason that they were taken back last. The "older bees" were more numerous and wiser about drinking it up and there were a "few younger beers" who didn't realize the potential danger that they were putting the hive in to thus the slow response.
Very interesting video, so I can just feed water and sugar, apparently. I am seeking for help please. I found a bee outside, it was frozen to death (or at least I thought so, it wasn't moving). I took it home and just left it in the kitchen. After two days.. she was alive! A few hours ago she came back to life (not flying, just staying up and slowly moving), I am so happy, but what do I do now? I fed it with water and cane sugar. Where do I find purified water? Will water and sugar be enough for the bee? Do I have to add nectar proteins etc? Is it better to make a tiny "house" so the bee can stay warmer? How about light and darkness? How can I make a feeder? I am sorry I have so many questions and I don't know what to do. Thank you in advance to any of you who will help.
@@FrederickDunn yes it's a honeybee, I really wish I could find her hive.. she is still alive today, more energetic than yesterday.. anyway, thank you for your reply!
A whole lot of RED FLAGS went up for me when I saw the warning label ingredients itself beginning at 6:04 - 6:22: "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. KEEP TIGHTLY SEALED. This is a concentrate and not for human consumption. If accidentally ingested seek medical help. User assumes full liability of use." If it's not safe for human consumption and the bees are being made to ingest this stuff which is then added to the hives, what will it do to not only the honey they supply to us but to their own little digestive systems and all the new bee larva in which they feed? What will eventually become of the original honey bee colony or other flying insects which might also ingest this Honey B Healthy stuff. I'm not a bee keeper, but I am a consumer who loves honey and GOD's order of nature. This concerns me greatly. Please don't feed this to your precious bees any more. GOD bless and keep you. Shalom and Agape. (^8
The reason they post that label, being that all the ingredients are not by themselves harmful in theory, if they allow or suggest that it's safe for human consumption, then it's in a different marketing category. They also say not to have honey supers on which will be harvested when using this additive. If you have any essential oils, I do, they are all very concentrated and have child proof caps on them no matter if it's lavender or something else such as sage. You don't want to be drinking anything in its concentrated form. I posted their website link and you will also notice the phone number on the bottle, you could contact them directly to have your health risk concerns satisfied? Thanks for watching and commenting.
Pur (filter name) filtered water and just cane sugar. It's what the bees have shown they prefer and use most. Cider Vinegar would cause the bees to avoid the syrup. Apple Cider vinegar is what I add to wasp traps in order to discourage honey bees.
Thanks Fred, I was surprised at how quickly they consumed those containers. Im in the process of arranging waterers for our bees before they arrive but the option you show doesn't look like it can be sent to us down here in Australia (at least not through Amazon). I wondered what you used for everyday watering of your bees?
My waterers are just the black livestock bins that are two feet in diameter, like a large dog dish. I put mason bricks in the water so the bees have something to land on. If you only have a couple of hives, then I would buy the largest dog food dish you can find and use that and use large gravel, rocks or chunks that allow the bees to drink without falling in or being trapped. I know some people like to put marbles in their waterers, but the marbles don't allow the bees down in as the water levels drop. Bricks and rocks work much better. Thanks for asking and for watching!
Ok thanks Fred. I like the idea of a brick in bowl with maybe some cork floating in too. I want to have a few water sources around as our immediate neighbour has a pool and we don't want any issues there. My other concern is to not provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, as the weather here is similar to Southern US. I guess. Of course it's your fault we have bees on their way with our name on them.;) Keep up the great work.
At the end of this two year old video, you said you probably wouldn't use Honey B Healthy, but we know that you obviously do. What made you change your mind and continue using?
What more would you like to know? The bees exponentially show a preference for sugar syrup with no additives. The water and sugar content was the same for each feeder. The only variable was the essential oil added. I'm not clear about what you'd like to know, but I'm happy to explain more if you still have a question.
I would keep the pollen and sugar water separate. Let them use each as they need, combining the two takes that choice away and nectar mixed with pollen is a problem in the nectar supers.
@@FrederickDunn Global news the head guy here bee wise has predicted a 80% hive loss this winter because of all the rain here this summer. He said honey production in this providence is down 50% this year. Lucky for me as I been feeding both since day one of the hives
The failure of the honey crop as well as loss of income from weakened colonies and loss of income from reduced pollination contracts have resulted in many of Alberta’s beekeepers struggling and, in some cases, failing to sustain their beekeeping businesses,” the letter reads in part. There are about 180 commercial beekeepers and about 1,200 hobby beekeepers in Alberta, according to the Alberta Beekeepers Commission. It claims that is the largest number of bee farmers in any Canadian province.
Great experiment - it’s clear they prefer regular sugar water - any data as to whether they were better off with additives? Analogy - if I prefer ice cream to vegetables is that evidence to have more ice cream?
Hi Mark, I'm on a continuing quest to find a lab or University study that has produced data on the favorable aspects of essential oils on honey bees. To date, there is no evidence that the bees benefit that has come from a lab or verifiable scientific study. So, we wait. OR, there may have been studies that showed no benefit and therefore they are not cited by the sellers. Honey B Healthy and Pro-Health producers were both no able to provide information beyond "we think it's good for them".
Also keep in mind that both samples have the same amount and type of sugar added, the only difference is the Honey B Healthy or not. As it's a feed "stimulant" the Honey B Healthy should the the "ice cream" in your analogy :)
cut the 2 tsp per quart down to ONLY 2 small drops they'll hammer it.The manufacturer recommended dose is WAY Too High and my bees won't touch it,cut it back to drop or two they love it.Actually what I do is put about eighth teaspoon in jar of water an pour shot of that in my quart jar of syrup and they take it better than straight syrup...
Thanks for sharing your method. My purpose was to test and compare based on what the manufacturers recommend. I needed to test their formula as directed. They claim that lower doses do not provide a positive benefit to the bees.
I've used honeybee healthy only because it was given to me. It worked only because it was the only game in town for the bees. I wasn't impressed. There wasn't anything in the way of improvement. It's just another money maker for a supplement that's a waste of time. I'll stick with my sugar syrup.
Hi Bee Bob, To date, I still haven't been able to find a single scientific study that demonstrated a health benefit for the bees from any essential oil compound. I have to agree with you that as of now, sugar water is just as good and you don't have to worry about it getting into your honey.
I hope you're not missing the point of the evaluation. The essential oils have not proven to have any nutritional value to the bees. So, the reason for the demonstration was to see how they work as appetite "stimulants". Since they don't stimulate the bees to take in more syrup than plain sugar syrup alone, they also don't work as stimulants. What they are good for is preserving your sugar syrup so it doesn't spoil. So it's not about forcing kids to eat veggies... the only essential oil offering proven to have hive health benefits has been HiveAlive and it has Thymol in it.
Mr dunn in NO way am i missing the point. Feeding sugar syrup at all is a last resort not my go to. We have had so much rain that im glad we didnt pull more honey. Today was the 1st day it did not rain in a month. My bee theology goes back to buckfast abby. Survivor stock. Dont prop bees up. Never will.
Between Honey and sugar syrup, they would definitely be drawn to the honey, but you'd also have hundreds of dead bees. Open feeding with honey is like walking into a sticky trap for the bees. Honey left in comb and fed to bees is fine, but when it's an open surface, it's a death trap.
Ok, as part of the control, the same water and the same sugar content was used. This leaves the additives as the only variables. They prefer the sugar syrup that has no essential oils.
Hive alive is proven to work against some pathogens. Honey B Healthy is good at extending syrup and keeping it from spoiling, but no evidence of honey bee health improvements so far. HA is proven to reduce nosema.
Hi Frederick , just learning , but why would you not feed them some of their own honey back ??? Wouldn't that be the most healthy option to help their immune system ?? Cheers Pat nz
Their honey is already stored in their hive. The reason I made this video was to answer questions regarding what the bees prefered, since these additives are sold as "stimulants".
It seems like your test is only testing what the bees prefer as a syrup. It doesn't really test whether there is any benefit or harm to the hive from the essential oils. Most medicines don't 'taste' that great that I would prefer them, but they still provide a benefit. I think maybe you're conclusions for testing your hypothesis may require additional observations and measurements.
Hi Dennis, there is no scientific evidence that the essential oils provide a health benefit. Because it's sold as a "feed stimulant" it's important to know if it does encourage feeding over just sugar water alone. Thanks for commenting.
The question of whether essential oils provide a health benefit is one I am exploring. The only study I can find regarding this topic is the West Virginia study from the developers of Honey B Healthy. They probably had a bias. projects.sare.org/project-reports/lne98-105/ Are you familiar with any other research that has been on this topic?
There are no university studies, no science to back it up. When I bring it up, I just get the "look" from biochemists as if to say "are you serious Fred?" All of the reports of benefits (so far) are anecdotal only and essential oils as they apply to bees is, at this point, really just a feel-good thing to do. The entomologists, biochemists (My Stepfather is a Dr of Biochemistry), and insect nutrition study specialists dismiss this outright. I will keep my eyes open and I'm always willing to learn from viable sources.
I read of this guy who added anise to his syrup and then they went absolutely insane, it was like crack to them. ...if you want to try another experiment.
Hyssop flowers are a great mid-summer nectar source for the bees and they make some very good honey with it. I think I'll just let the bees get it on their own :) thanks for commenting!
I don't know about making new queens every year, but there currently is no science supporting essential oils for honeybee health. Some people swear it works, but can't provide proof.
@@FrederickDunn Absolutely making new queens every year. If you are properly slitting hives you should relocate the current queen with swarm like nature designed. Hard to take a great queen out with the split but its the way it should be done. Unless your hives don't grow in an entire year then you are making new queens every year. Regardless if you relocate the queen your bees will swam every year so I dk how a bee keeper could not make new queens every year. Unless you just let your bees swarm instead of at least selling them
What exactly are your concerns regarding lemon grass oil? It's often used as a swarm lure, but other than that, I can't think of a detrimental aspect? Fill us in please.
While sadly I have no video of the results, my experimentation indicates even trace levels of lemon grass are highly attractive primarily to roving or searching bees, but also to yellow jackets and hornets. While robbing can be controlled to some degree, introduction of a product which possibly induces such a situation might be better used during other times of year. Just for background, I've over 200 known hives within a mile of my location, with 40 of them less than 500 yards away.
TheOregonOutlaw in your situation with such a high apiary density, you definitely need to be careful about open feeding and of course, attracting robbers to your hives. Have you shared your information with the makers of Honey B Healthy? I think they would be very interested in your findings and they actually encourage fall feeding with HBH... so they definitely need to know about your experiences. Thanks for sharing!
The mix works 100% compared to that overpriced overrated honey bee healthy. You might guess I'm not a fan of it. Anyone you hasn't seen little bits honey you tube channel please look. His version is better than any honey bee healthy product or variant of the product. Joe may is his name .
Hands down, the honey bees go for sugar syrup with nothing in it but water and sugar. Additives don't encourage more consumption. This still holds true.
So I just watched a similar test video. So now I'm just confused. It's a brief video, thought you might want to watch! ua-cam.com/video/cp-rY--l81Y/v-deo.html
I've done this test several times under varying conditions with the same results as shown. The outcome is the same and it's repeatable by anyone anywhere. I honestly can't comment in a meaningful way about the video you've shared. I don't know all of the variables used in that example, but a single test with two drinkers would not be enough to satisfy my curiosity. I didn't have a single test where the bees preferred Honey B Healthy, or even Pro-Health over straight "filtered" sugar water. They issue may lie with the quality of the water used? City water would have a chlorinated aspect that the bees may decline when faced with the scented Honey B Healthy... if he repeated the test with distilled water... then added suger.. then added HBH to one, the results may be different. Without a clean-untreated water standard, the test has issues that must be considered. Smell tap water that has been through city treatment systems? It's not something I like drinking, let alone the bees. I hope that gives you some more food for thought? It's also why I discuss the PUR water filter system... gets all that smell/taste out of the water.
Thanks Priestess, I went and watched that video. Mr Dunn has a good response here since we don't know the parameters of that guy's test. I'm confused also.
Great Response Mr Dunn! I LOVE your approach to things like this.
Thank you as always Macro!
Interesting. Perhaps I will ask him more about his test. Your swift reply was much appreciated! It's always encouraging when even larger channels still answer questions/comments. I guess the only other thing I could think of is that could it be possible that only certain hives would be preferring the Honey B Healthy, if perhaps they are lacking in some essential nutrient in that particular hive, due to local conditions... (:::lots of head scratching here..:::)
For those who complained about the music or narration, here is another camera view with only natural sounds: ua-cam.com/video/-IZlIcuku48/v-deo.html and a special thanks to those who are easy to please!
Who's complaining?! I thought it was cool!
Thanks Rachel and Macro!
So, the beekeeper is more attracted to so-called "feed stimulants" than are bees. Further evidence that the essential oil fad is nothing more than a fad. Thanks for adding a little science to the discussion.
Hi Blaine, yes, I think that there is a conspicuous absence of scientific support and you're probably correct in that it's marketing to "people" more than the bees. It probably doesn't hurt though. I am left with more questions than answers. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Question is though, bees preference does not necessarily mean that it's more healthy for their diet. Humans also prefer sugar to honey, but we know honey is more nutricious. This experience just simply tells bees prefer sugar but doesn't mean it's healthy for them.
@@FrederickDunn amen well said, zero evidence or data to show any health benefits at all
Thanks for sharing the experiments this season, very interesting.
You're very welcome and thank you for viewing and commenting!
Wow! All this after I just made a half gallon of homemade HBH. To be fair......you had this up for over 4 years......so that's on me. Glad I didn't buy it. I really wouldn't have thought it was THAT big of a difference, but they were clearly avoiding it when they had a choice. Thanks for sharing!
It's not wasted, HBH does extend the life of your sugar syrup. But they overwhelmingly demonstrate a preference for sugar syrup with nothing but water in it.
HOW DOES THIS NOT HAVE 1 MILLION VIEWS Already?
Interesting, people have bird feeders in gardens. Nice to see bee feeders in gardens too.
Thank you so much for doing these reviews! They're practical and educational!
You are very welcome and thanks for watching!
The bees have spoken 😂
I would not have guessed those results. Thanks.
You're very welcome, I'm with you, I actually expected the bees to go for the HBH mix first. I may continue with other parameters in the future.
Omg this is amazing!! I’d love to see it in real time
I have watched most of your videos and plan to learn how to be a bee keeper as a total newcomer. Your videos are most informative and soothing. I plan to use the flow hive. I'll continue to be your student. Thank you.
Thank you so much and welcome to my channel! :)
Thanks for the tests, have enjoyed them. Noticed when the bees started going for the HBH that the left drinker was in the sun. Wonder what effect temp has on their feeding preferences...
You are exactly right Karen! The left feeders were several degrees warmer and that definitely attracts the bees first, I like your thinking!
Wow great test .
Thank you Blue Neptune!
That is interesting. When I've used it, I had them coming into the house searching for that smell. The hives are 100 so yards out back and I had the front door open.
As I suspected! :) it does smell really good, I have to admit.
good experiment man.
truelly enjoyed watching this.
ur presentation is also too good.
congrats...
An interesting note not related to sugar but rather only water, on my property I have a massive abundance of water sources, lakes, ponds, creeks and much more. I've found honey bees congregating at a certain spring which is really just a trickle out of the side of the hill and I don't usually see them elsewhere. I've noticed that they like certain water sources just like we do.
That spring, like many springs, may be full of mineral content and they also like high iron. I have a spring fed pond that they used to go to until I started offering sea-salt boosted water near the apiary. IF you have a leaky hose bib on your house, they tend to like to drink from that dripping source as well. Concrete bird baths are also popular with bees as the concrete leeches into the water also. Thank you for watching and sharing!
VERY INTERESTING! THANKS 4 SHARING😁👍❤️
From your videos I'm setting up a 2 gallon feeder with Mortan Sea Salt, one 2 gallon sugar water and a 5 gallon of plain water and replenish as necessary
Excellent experiment!
Thank you so much Chip!
this is the first time i even thought abt this things.
it was like a class for me.
i m in to bee keeping bt not large.
bt the way i m jeneesh from India.
I only feed new packages early spring and have given choice and HBH was preferred in my experience - not free feed but baggies in the same hive with and without and not observed, just checked the days later to see if they need more and the HBH baggies were empty and the sugar water alone were not... but I did use water out of the tap and saw in your comment that might have an impact. This was interesting, though!
I make up batches of syrup outside in a stock pot over a propane burner. Not many bees or yellow jackets are attracted while I am doing so unless I add the stimulant during the process. Which I no longer do! It is only after I transfer the newly-made syrup into holding buckets that I add the feeding stimulant. Once added, the bucket lid goes on because otherwise it would, indeed, attract bees and yellow jackets. The stimulant does a wonderful job preventing mold. And, of course, I would hope that there are (albeit elusive and as-yet unproven) health benefits for my bees.
Those are the results I want to see done as a scientific study Dave, the claims regarding mold prevention and even varroa repellant? It's an area that needs some real science and thanks for sharing your methods!
Some folk in Yorkshire , keeping bee's could not understand why the honey was purple red yellow blue . Until the that discovered it wasn't honey ,but a kind of sirup .They found out that the bee's were visiting the skips dumpster of a sweet factory miles away .
Oy!
Thank you , this is good to know. You are right they target man not bees.
BRONDO
IT'S GOT WHAT BEES CRAAAAVE
Electrolytes.....LOL...
this is great thanks
you're welcome Frances
3 am and im watching bees drink
That was very cool!!
There are many recipes and brands of "B healthy" out there. I got a similar experience with the same brand used here with the majority of the bees tested. However, some bees were attracted at the same ratio to the sugar water and the sugar water + B Health in other experiments. It is inconclusive to me so far if this has some benefit or not. Keep the good work, Frederick. Cheers.
One of the tests where the bees went for the Honey B Healthy over the simple sugar water was when the sugar water was composed of city (chlorinated/treated) water and the Honey B Healthy successfully covered the scent of that water while simply mixing with sugar didn't. So if distilled, or highly filtered water is the base liquid prior to adding sugar and Honey B Healthy, the bees will take to sugar water first. Because "Honey B Healthy" is a brand name and also a specific mixture, the company under that name has only one formula. BUT, there are many options out there offering essential oil mixes. I've only tested the top two prepared mixes on the market and those are Honey B Healthy and Pro Health. There are currently no scientific studies supporting the health benefits of essential oils for honeybees. I am hoping that a grad student somewhere, possibly Cornell University, will conduct a study which will dismiss or support the claims posted by those marketing essential oils, or essential oil mixtures for HoneyBees. Yes, there are many people sharing their recipe and there are infinite variations. We'll keep learning. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Frederick Dunn I will do it. My new job here at university of Florida is to work only with bee research addressed to commercial beekeepers. I’ll test all these products. I will post my findings in my channel. Let’s have a chat one of these days. Cheers.
THAT would be FANTASTIC... when you have your study results and a decent baseline, I will happily give you a shout-out during one of my bee videos and will link your UA-cam for others to view. I am so glad you are going to be doing that. Even if the findings/experiments do not support the benefits, we'll have answers. I can't tell you how happy I am to know you will be doing that. Thank YOU!
Frederick Dunn That sounds a plan!
Bees know what they need. And it is inexpensive. Nectar. Sugar water.
I agree Laura, always turn to the bees for the best answers :)
Frederick Dunn Do you use organic sugar like coconut sugar or just regular table sugar. I thought table sugar is bad for bees because its processed, it takes all the nutrients out of the sugar and is whitened
Very interesting. I appreciate your documentation and experimentation.
I would have guessed the result to be quite different. I use HBH often when feeding my bees, but sometimes I don’t have any on hand. I believe supplements and essential oils are beneficial, but there are many factors I suppose. Based on this experiment, which I encourage others to do ( including myself)....I would think that the sugar water is more important than anything.
It’s possible that maybe different species/hives in different environments need more or less than others. The scent of HBH is indeed an attractant, which could be good and bad. It will attract all types of insects, so it might be best used as an outside source and not within the hive if you have trouble with robbing...but could be very beneficial to a weak/sick hive or to prevent mold in the sugar water.
Thank you for sharing, have you had a "weak/sick" hive that was refreshed and improved by using the recommended HBH "Drench Formula"? Thanks, this is a very interesting area for observation and learning.
Frederick Dunn No, I can’t say that I have. Lost a bunch with the last drought though.
Your welcome ,Fred.
To try and answer the question is tough.
I'm still classed as a novice.
That's how I see myself.
To use the mix as a concentrate,diluting it down to a cup per gallon of pure 1:1 or 2:1 or half a cup for half a gallon.
I feel it's a way to help protect the bees immune system.
Pure honey is obviously the best but they need help against pests and fungal diseases.
Winter green and tea tree oil in the mix will combat chalk brood and the nemesis of the lil girls,the dastardly varroa mite.
You can correct me if I'm wrong Frederick,as I said this is our second season.
Randy Oliver said it best at a seminar.
Bees require 3 things to survive.
1.a warm dry home.
2 .a plentiful supply of pollen and nectar.
3. Help with pest and disease control(wasps,varroa etc etc).
Thanks Shaun, let the learning continue. Randy is coming to speak to the PA Beekeepers Assn this year, he's plain spoken and a lot of fun, he commented that he has a name for hobby beekeepers "varroa farmers" he's a healthy skeptic regarding bee nutrition supplements.
Very interesting!
another great experiment! thank you!
You're welcome and thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you I do think that the bees will like sugar water by itself more than honeybee coffee but it's not about feeding them it's about treating them for varroa mites and nosema and I think it probably does help them eventually but I want to make my own and give it a shot
Hi Jean! I'm still waiting for an actual study on the benefits of essential oils... can't hurt them I suppose...
Frederick Dunn mr. Done thank you so much I'm sure I will only give it to them in moderation as my father's favorite words everything in moderation
Sounds good Jean!
Back at it again...
Very interesting 🧐
Bees preference does not necessarily mean that it's more healthy for their diet. Humans also prefer sugar to honey, but we know honey is more nutricious. This experience just simply tells bees prefer sugar but doesn't mean it's healthy for them. My feeling is that the Bee Collapse Syndrome is somehow linked to human feeding sugar to bees lessening their immunity to diseases among other factors.
Hi Paul, all of the containers have the same sugar/water ratio in them. Essential oils are sold often as a "stimulant" in order to get bees to take in more carbs. The test simply demonstrates that the essential oils do not encourage the bees to take in more carbs than sugar water alone. I make no claims about the health benefits which are claimed by the manufacturers. There is no science that has proven essential oils improve bee health and as in this case, also does not stimulate feeding over regular sugar water. Again, the sugar content of all containers is the same.
I do not use honey bee healthy or the alternative but ive done some testing with a top feeder. Using 10 drops of lemongrass oil emulsified in 2 quarts 1:1 sugar water. On average regardless of dearth or hive population the sugar water with lemongrass oil is taken 2x as fast. Whether its healthy for them i dont know.
There is lemon grass oil in all of the essential oil mixes.
Hi Frederick.
Ok we live in the uk and our climate is a lot different to that of various states north versus south per say.
We use not honey bee healthy, but a variant of it.
It's a recipe from the fat bee man that's been tweaked by little bits honey joe may.
The bees go crazy for it.
The recipe is on one of his videos he shows exactly how to make and the items required i.e. A glass food blender.
Yes the mix contains
In small measured quantities listed.
Granulated sugar
Water
Essential oils.
Lemon grass
Spearmint or peppermint
Wintergreen
Tea tree oil
That's basically it.
Once mixed to the required concentrate add half a cup 1/2 gallon of 1:1 or 2:1 syrup.
I feel and maybe I'm alone on this.
Honey bee healthy is an expensive product that not all bees like.
I'm sorry if anyone feels different that's my feelings.
The mix is fantastic and costs hardly anything to make.the wintergreen adds an aroma inside the hive which helps combat against varroa.
The tea tree oil helps fight against fungal diseases.
Please try the mix you will be surprised on the wonderful results.
Little bits honey joe may.
If we can as bee keepers worldwide help an extra % of hives to over winter that's all for the benefit of the lil girls( sorry bees ).
Thanks for the great videos
Thank you for sharing all of this information. Don is a funny guy and he definitely likes to do things his way : )
I guess the question we have to ask is why do we think we need to create these mixes in the first place? Is there a measurable improvement, or do we just "think" it must be helping the bees? I'm wide open on this subject and will be happy to learn from several sources. I appreciate that you shared in such great detail!
Your great videos got me thinking of a possible variant, or additional hypothesis, to test: if the sugar/water solution (without any additives) is better for long-term health versus a solution with a commercial supplement added; and to determine if the bees are only consuming the plain sugar/water solution first (or faster) because it tastes better. I’d compare this to a condition in which a small child was presented with a chocolate bar and a piece of broccoli. In most situations the chocolate would be eaten first. However, the chocolate does not provide anywhere near the nutritional value of the broccoli, and the chocolate does not have the "long-term" benefits a vegetable would have to the body, versus candy. Just because it (the chocolate) was consumed first (or faster) doesn’t dismiss the potential the product consumed second, or slower, (the broccoli) does not have benefits as well.Not sure how an experiment could be setup to apply this honey bees, but I wonder what we could do to test the potential long-term benefits/consequences (if any) of a commercial product added to a syrup solution, versus a "plain" syrup solution.Thanks again for the great videos!
The only proven advantage of the essential oils, has been that it extends the freshness of the sugar syrup. Essential oils have not, to date, proven to improve honey bee health. Instead, they are marketed as a feed "stimulant" in order to get weaker colonies to take in the sugar syrup. As shown here, the bees already have an appetite for sugar syrup, without the stimulant additive. The stories of benefits have been anecdotle and not scientifically reinforced. Nothing will be more nutritious to the bees than divere forage. Sugar syrup is an emergency carbohydrate used only when honey supers are not yet on, and when the honey is not to be consumed by humans. Emergency feed, not for human consumption (iaw essential oil labeling). I will talk about this on Friday during my Q&A. Thanks for giving it so much thought.
Next video, Gatorade vs Powerade! ;). And who’s the grump that downvoted your video, wow.
Hi Michael :) not sure who the "downvote" was, but they do it on almost every video I post and the upside of that downvote is that engagement counts good, or bad, so they are actually helping without knowing it. But it would be helpful to hear their concerns. Unless it's someone who I've already blocked due to streams of profanity (';').. they can still "vote" Have a GREAT weekend!
@@FrederickDunn but what about the powerade vs gatorade
Great comparison. But I wonder if there are health benefits with HBH which would override the apparent bees' preference for 2:1 not having HBH.
I did look for some viable research on this product and other than an article, there haven't been any published papers on the measurable benefits of this additive.
Given its notoriety, I am surprised you could find no reports of its bona fide tested benefits. Their site does not list such measureable results, though many claimed benefits are listed: honeybhealthy.com/HoneyBHealthy.html
I was also surprised by that and yes, I checked out the article links on their site. There is room for a thorough study of several additives that are currently recommended for honey bee health improvement. But, it seems like a variety of non-scientific opinions prevail here. Randy Oliver is giving a talk to the PA Beekeepers and he's stated that there is no "science" behind these claims "yet". Hopefully, Randy or someone else with the resources for a real study will take this on in the near future.
People will also choose highly sugared drinks over healthier drinks.
Not me, I choose water
Is “Morena Pure Cane Sugar” OK to feed bees? Also, is “White Satin Powdered Amalgamated Sugar” made from beets OK to feed bees?
Processed cane sugar is fine for making sugar syrup for the honey bees. Many beekeepers don't like the beet sourced sugar, but no detrimental issues have been noted. But if you want to go with the least controversial, pure cane sugar.
Is the honeybee healthy formula too strong to be used in a top round feeder. My bees seem to do fine with sugar syrup, but when I add the formula to it, they eat less and I find a few dead bees in the syrup.
You could definitely lower the dose, I find that they really to prefer sugar syrup with nothing else in it.
Frederick, great videos, very informative. I’d love to see a review of Gunther Hauk’s recipe for “bee tea” vs sugar water. It’s not a product to buy, but to make.If you search, you should find the link to his website and recipe. Perhaps next spring for a new feeding video you could use this. Again maybe with and without the herbs and flower infusion that his recipe calls for vs sugar water vs HBH.
Hi smportis, thanks! For now, I'm reviewing marketed formulas as they have some consistency. I think that if I get into mixing my own, the quality variables wouldn't be tight enough for very good repeatability in other regions. BUT, anything is possible. For not, I'm working with Honey B Healthy and Pro-Health mixtures. Tomorrow I'm giving a seminar to a Biology group at Edinboro University and I'm hoping to inspire some of the undergrads to get into meaningful research on essential oils and their impact on varroa etc... thank you for your suggestion, there are lots of holistic approaches out there. I'm not convinced that I need to be following this method personally.
The Honey Bee Healthy product is for helping the bees deal with the mites and other pest they're exposed to. The lemon grass is a kind of desinfectant and deoderant. Since it's natural plant it's not toxic.
Ricin is an extract from castor beans, and as poison has no cure. Nicotine is also plant natural. Plenty of plant compounds are toxic.
Honey B Healthy has not demonstrated to have any impact on varroa mites to date.
New a little bit different now bubba using it for smoke
What is the difference between Honey B healthy and Hive Alive
Hive alive is proven to provide nutrition and is composed with sea weed among other things. I think it's strongest ingredient is Thymol, oil from Thyme plants. Studies have shown that Hive alive improves honey bee health while that has not been the case with Honey-B-Healthy unless they alter their formula.
*@Frederick Dunn*
Could you do this experiment, but with different kinds of sugar?
Like, from refined White Sugar to Dark brown Muscovado sugar.
There are problems associated with bee sysentary and brown/natural or RAW sugar, so I don't recommend using anything but white processed cane sugar. So, I don't buy any other types.
@@FrederickDunn Ok, I didn't know that.
Should I remove the comment before someone else gets a stupid idea to try it?
Maybe their instincts are to choose a simple water mix given that in nature, something sketchy could be in a complex mix, resulting in death or disease. Doesn't mean that the additives are bad.
Doesn't mean the additives are good either :)
1 to 1 plane sugar water taken at same rate as 2 to 1 sugar water - more or less (bottles #1 and #3). Honey B Healthy was slowly taken taken while there was plane sugar water to drink. While it is not marked, I am guessing that the H B H.was at the same concentration in #2 and #4. Again not marked but I am guessing that #2 and #4 also had sugar mixed in as well but I did not see or hear you say if it was 1 to1 in both #2 and #4 or if it was like bottles #1 band #3. Otherwise good experiment. Good point about about the pungent sent of these oils. Maybe this is the reason that they were taken back last. The "older bees" were more numerous and wiser about drinking it up and there were a "few younger beers" who didn't realize the potential danger that they were putting the hive in to thus the slow response.
Hi Chip, The details of the test are in the video description. Thanks.
Very interesting video, so I can just feed water and sugar, apparently. I am seeking for help please. I found a bee outside, it was frozen to death (or at least I thought so, it wasn't moving). I took it home and just left it in the kitchen. After two days.. she was alive! A few hours ago she came back to life (not flying, just staying up and slowly moving), I am so happy, but what do I do now? I fed it with water and cane sugar. Where do I find purified water? Will water and sugar be enough for the bee? Do I have to add nectar proteins etc? Is it better to make a tiny "house" so the bee can stay warmer? How about light and darkness? How can I make a feeder? I am sorry I have so many questions and I don't know what to do. Thank you in advance to any of you who will help.
If it's a honey bee, it's not going to make it. They cannot survive alone.
@@FrederickDunn yes it's a honeybee, I really wish I could find her hive.. she is still alive today, more energetic than yesterday.. anyway, thank you for your reply!
A whole lot of RED FLAGS went up for me when I saw the warning label ingredients itself beginning at 6:04 - 6:22: "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. KEEP TIGHTLY SEALED. This is a concentrate and not for human consumption. If accidentally ingested seek medical help. User assumes full liability of use." If it's not safe for human consumption and the bees are being made to ingest this stuff which is then added to the hives, what will it do to not only the honey they supply to us but to their own little digestive systems and all the new bee larva in which they feed? What will eventually become of the original honey bee colony or other flying insects which might also ingest this Honey B Healthy stuff. I'm not a bee keeper, but I am a consumer who loves honey and GOD's order of nature. This concerns me greatly. Please don't feed this to your precious bees any more. GOD bless and keep you. Shalom and Agape. (^8
The reason they post that label, being that all the ingredients are not by themselves harmful in theory, if they allow or suggest that it's safe for human consumption, then it's in a different marketing category. They also say not to have honey supers on which will be harvested when using this additive. If you have any essential oils, I do, they are all very concentrated and have child proof caps on them no matter if it's lavender or something else such as sage. You don't want to be drinking anything in its concentrated form. I posted their website link and you will also notice the phone number on the bottle, you could contact them directly to have your health risk concerns satisfied? Thanks for watching and commenting.
Do you add anything to your syrup? Cider vinegar or the like?
Pur (filter name) filtered water and just cane sugar. It's what the bees have shown they prefer and use most. Cider Vinegar would cause the bees to avoid the syrup. Apple Cider vinegar is what I add to wasp traps in order to discourage honey bees.
Why can't Honey b pro post these same kinds of open tests maybe they know the results
Good question
You already know the answer it would bankrupt them
Thanks Fred, I was surprised at how quickly they consumed those containers. Im in the process of arranging waterers for our bees before they arrive but the option you show doesn't look like it can be sent to us down here in Australia (at least not through Amazon). I wondered what you used for everyday watering of your bees?
My waterers are just the black livestock bins that are two feet in diameter, like a large dog dish. I put mason bricks in the water so the bees have something to land on. If you only have a couple of hives, then I would buy the largest dog food dish you can find and use that and use large gravel, rocks or chunks that allow the bees to drink without falling in or being trapped. I know some people like to put marbles in their waterers, but the marbles don't allow the bees down in as the water levels drop. Bricks and rocks work much better. Thanks for asking and for watching!
Ok thanks Fred. I like the idea of a brick in bowl with maybe some cork floating in too. I want to have a few water sources around as our immediate neighbour has a pool and we don't want any issues there. My other concern is to not provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, as the weather here is similar to Southern US. I guess.
Of course it's your fault we have bees on their way with our name on them.;) Keep up the great work.
Please let me know what you end up doing and how it works!
Hi. The ratio is 2:1... so for every quart of water, do I need 2 quarts of sugar? Is it correct?
Yes, but remember that's a winter heavy syrup. Spring and summer boosts are 50/50... by volume
Frederick Dunn thank u so much
Anytime!
At the end of this two year old video, you said you probably wouldn't use Honey B Healthy, but we know that you obviously do. What made you change your mind and continue using?
I wouldn't' use it as a feeding component, but do use it instead of smoke :)
@@FrederickDunn Oh! I understand. Thanks! I completely ignored that fact that it's marked as a feeding aid.
Hi Fred
Maybe this is the experiment Paul Stamets needs to do with mycorhisal extracts for verilla mite eradication ??
There is definitely lots of opportunity for study, I've not found any supporting science for essential oil in honey bees.
Hmmm 🤔 looks like humans eating crispy creme.
Where did you get the feeders?
The link is in the video description :)
I found the voice over for Tina off Bobs Burgers😂
Thanks for that compliment! The voice actor for Tina is Dan Mintz and he's super talented :)
Sugar water & honey bee healthy , wanted to know more
What more would you like to know? The bees exponentially show a preference for sugar syrup with no additives. The water and sugar content was the same for each feeder. The only variable was the essential oil added. I'm not clear about what you'd like to know, but I'm happy to explain more if you still have a question.
@@FrederickDunn how to use it and where to use it
I also wanted to start flow hive in the Solomon Islands ion a small atol called Sikaiana atol
The total cost a flow is how much wanted to know
The sugar is more rewarding cognitively (pleasure) but not nutritionally (longevity)?
Sugar is energy... nutrition is from pollen sources primarily. Sugar syrup is just a place-holder, should not be used to replace nectar.
I add natural pollon to the sugar water ideas on this topic???
I would keep the pollen and sugar water separate. Let them use each as they need, combining the two takes that choice away and nectar mixed with pollen is a problem in the nectar supers.
@@FrederickDunn Global news the head guy here bee wise has predicted a 80% hive loss this winter because of all the rain here this summer. He said honey production in this providence is down 50% this year. Lucky for me as I been feeding both since day one of the hives
The failure of the honey crop as well as loss of income from weakened colonies and loss of income from reduced pollination contracts have resulted in many of Alberta’s beekeepers struggling and, in some cases, failing to sustain their beekeeping businesses,” the letter reads in part.
There are about 180 commercial beekeepers and about 1,200 hobby beekeepers in Alberta, according to the Alberta Beekeepers Commission. It claims that is the largest number of bee farmers in any Canadian province.
@@RaySarasin I hope your bees come through fine Ray :)
Great experiment - it’s clear they prefer regular sugar water - any data as to whether they were better off with additives? Analogy - if I prefer ice cream to vegetables is that evidence to have more ice cream?
Hi Mark, I'm on a continuing quest to find a lab or University study that has produced data on the favorable aspects of essential oils on honey bees. To date, there is no evidence that the bees benefit that has come from a lab or verifiable scientific study. So, we wait. OR, there may have been studies that showed no benefit and therefore they are not cited by the sellers. Honey B Healthy and Pro-Health producers were both no able to provide information beyond "we think it's good for them".
Also keep in mind that both samples have the same amount and type of sugar added, the only difference is the Honey B Healthy or not. As it's a feed "stimulant" the Honey B Healthy should the the "ice cream" in your analogy :)
Great points - thanks, you would think the manufacturer would have some data - I think I’ll stay with sugar water until I see data
cut the 2 tsp per quart down to ONLY 2 small drops they'll hammer it.The manufacturer recommended dose is WAY Too High and my bees won't touch it,cut it back to drop or two they love it.Actually what I do is put about eighth teaspoon in jar of water an pour shot of that in my quart jar of syrup and they take it better than straight syrup...
Thanks for sharing your method. My purpose was to test and compare based on what the manufacturers recommend. I needed to test their formula as directed. They claim that lower doses do not provide a positive benefit to the bees.
I've used honeybee healthy only because it was given to me. It worked only because it was the only game in town for the bees. I wasn't impressed. There wasn't anything in the way of improvement. It's just another money maker for a supplement that's a waste of time. I'll stick with my sugar syrup.
Hi Bee Bob, To date, I still haven't been able to find a single scientific study that demonstrated a health benefit for the bees from any essential oil compound. I have to agree with you that as of now, sugar water is just as good and you don't have to worry about it getting into your honey.
It's like giving candy to your kids. You hate to do it but at the same time. supper is two hours away bc you decided on baked potatoes
I hope you're not missing the point of the evaluation. The essential oils have not proven to have any nutritional value to the bees. So, the reason for the demonstration was to see how they work as appetite "stimulants". Since they don't stimulate the bees to take in more syrup than plain sugar syrup alone, they also don't work as stimulants. What they are good for is preserving your sugar syrup so it doesn't spoil. So it's not about forcing kids to eat veggies... the only essential oil offering proven to have hive health benefits has been HiveAlive and it has Thymol in it.
Mr dunn in NO way am i missing the point. Feeding sugar syrup at all is a last resort not my go to. We have had so much rain that im glad we didnt pull more honey. Today was the 1st day it did not rain in a month.
My bee theology goes back to buckfast abby. Survivor stock.
Dont prop bees up. Never will.
Would have been interesting to see if they would go for honey or sugar syrup. Probably honey
Between Honey and sugar syrup, they would definitely be drawn to the honey, but you'd also have hundreds of dead bees. Open feeding with honey is like walking into a sticky trap for the bees. Honey left in comb and fed to bees is fine, but when it's an open surface, it's a death trap.
They will obviously drink the thing with the highest sugar concentration
Ok, as part of the control, the same water and the same sugar content was used. This leaves the additives as the only variables. They prefer the sugar syrup that has no essential oils.
What is the difference between Honey Bee Healthy and Hive Alive?
Hive alive is proven to work against some pathogens. Honey B Healthy is good at extending syrup and keeping it from spoiling, but no evidence of honey bee health improvements so far. HA is proven to reduce nosema.
Hi Frederick , just learning , but why would you not feed them some of their own honey back ??? Wouldn't that be the most healthy option to help their immune system ?? Cheers Pat nz
Their honey is already stored in their hive. The reason I made this video was to answer questions regarding what the bees prefered, since these additives are sold as "stimulants".
It seems like your test is only testing what the bees prefer as a syrup. It doesn't really test whether there is any benefit or harm to the hive from the essential oils. Most medicines don't 'taste' that great that I would prefer them, but they still provide a benefit. I think maybe you're conclusions for testing your hypothesis may require additional observations and measurements.
Hi Dennis, there is no scientific evidence that the essential oils provide a health benefit. Because it's sold as a "feed stimulant" it's important to know if it does encourage feeding over just sugar water alone. Thanks for commenting.
The question of whether essential oils provide a health benefit is one I am exploring. The only study I can find regarding this topic is the West Virginia study from the developers of Honey B Healthy. They probably had a bias. projects.sare.org/project-reports/lne98-105/ Are you familiar with any other research that has been on this topic?
There are no university studies, no science to back it up. When I bring it up, I just get the "look" from biochemists as if to say "are you serious Fred?" All of the reports of benefits (so far) are anecdotal only and essential oils as they apply to bees is, at this point, really just a feel-good thing to do. The entomologists, biochemists (My Stepfather is a Dr of Biochemistry), and insect nutrition study specialists dismiss this outright. I will keep my eyes open and I'm always willing to learn from viable sources.
Wow, a great up.iPad, thank you
I read of this guy who added anise to his syrup and then they went absolutely insane, it was like crack to them.
...if you want to try another experiment.
Hyssop flowers are a great mid-summer nectar source for the bees and they make some very good honey with it. I think I'll just let the bees get it on their own :) thanks for commenting!
In Austin we can get some horribly tough summer dearths! Glad to hear you get a nice flow now, flower food is always better!
Experience beekeeper will never use this crap but will make own queens and use oxalic acid every year once October or no ember
I don't know about making new queens every year, but there currently is no science supporting essential oils for honeybee health. Some people swear it works, but can't provide proof.
@@FrederickDunn Absolutely making new queens every year. If you are properly slitting hives you should relocate the current queen with swarm like nature designed. Hard to take a great queen out with the split but its the way it should be done. Unless your hives don't grow in an entire year then you are making new queens every year. Regardless if you relocate the queen your bees will swam every year so I dk how a bee keeper could not make new queens every year. Unless you just let your bees swarm instead of at least selling them
👀
.
No Way would I be adding anything with Lemongrass Oil - especially so late in the year! Yikes!
Why? What is your reason?
What exactly are your concerns regarding lemon grass oil? It's often used as a swarm lure, but other than that, I can't think of a detrimental aspect? Fill us in please.
I'm sure the TheOregonOutlaw is talking about the high possibility to attract robbers, nice video by the way, thanks!
While sadly I have no video of the results, my experimentation indicates even trace levels of lemon grass are highly attractive primarily to roving or searching bees, but also to yellow jackets and hornets. While robbing can be controlled to some degree, introduction of a product which possibly induces such a situation might be better used during other times of year.
Just for background, I've over 200 known hives within a mile of my location, with 40 of them less than 500 yards away.
TheOregonOutlaw in your situation with such a high apiary density, you definitely need to be careful about open feeding and of course, attracting robbers to your hives. Have you shared your information with the makers of Honey B Healthy? I think they would be very interested in your findings and they actually encourage fall feeding with HBH... so they definitely need to know about your experiences. Thanks for sharing!
The mix works 100% compared to that overpriced overrated honey bee healthy.
You might guess I'm not a fan of it.
Anyone you hasn't seen little bits honey you tube channel please look.
His version is better than any honey bee healthy product or variant of the product.
Joe may is his name .
Hands down, the honey bees go for sugar syrup with nothing in it but water and sugar. Additives don't encourage more consumption. This still holds true.