Sugar types in Beekeeping for winter food question

nao57

Crowing
Mar 28, 2020
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So Fondant is a type of mix of sugar, water, and other ingredients for use in winter honey bee overwintering.

You put it in, and then its supposed to help them survive.

Supposedly Fondant is easier for them to eat than normal sugar according to an old veteran of beekeeping named Billy Davis on the East Coast.

But in the recipe he's using he says to use cane sugar instead of granulated sugar.

My question is I wonder if it really matters if its cane sugar or granulated sugar? And does cane sugar have an advantage both in beekeeping and fondant? (He didn't specifically say don't use granulated sugar in his video. And he is one of those people that has been doing beekeeping for a VERY long time.)

I hoped someone here might have insight.

And this community is much better than the bee source guys. I found them to be kind of rude sometimes.
 
Granulated sugar can come from a variety of sources. That could be sugar beets (GMO) or sugar cane (GMO free). It can also come from corn syrup - which is also GMO.
It can be granulated but it must come from pure cane sugar. Unless the box says 'pure cane sugar', it is likely from sugar beets which are GMO.
I know the brand C&H is pure cane sugar, but comes in a granulated version.
Most cheaper brands are almost assuredly from sugar beets.
I've cooked fondant before but always had trouble getting it hot enough on the stove without burning it.
I found a no cook version. You need a candy board and you can line the screen with paper the bees can chew through.
https://www.honeybeesuite.com/no-cook-candy-board-recipe-for-feeding-winter-bees/
 
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Granulated sugar can come from a variety of sources. That could be sugar beets (GMO) or sugar cane (GMO free). It can also come from corn syrup - which is also GMO.
It can be granulated but it must come from pure cane sugar. Unless the box says 'pure cane sugar', it is likely from sugar beets which are GMO.
I know the brand C&H is pure cane sugar, but comes in a granulated version.
Most cheaper brands are almost assuredly from sugar beets.
I've cooked fondant before but always had trouble getting it hot enough on the stove without burning it.
I found a no cook version. You need a candy board and you can line the screen with paper the bees can chew through.
https://www.honeybeesuite.com/no-cook-candy-board-recipe-for-feeding-winter-bees/

That's so neat. Thanks!

So do you think there's much improvement over doing something to make it easier for the bees to eat, rather than put sugar right in?

It sounded like in Billy Davis' video that he was implying the winter survivor rate could be improved doing this. But I don't know enough yet to know.

Again many thanks to be able to talk someone else interested in bees!
 
Winter survival is definitely enhanced with candy board feeding. Also, if you have a warmish day in mid winter, it helps to add a pollen patty. When the bees have eaten enough of the candy that part of the screen is exposed, I put pieces of pollen patty in those spaces. Pollen is where they get protein from. That is essential for new brood. I just learned a couple years ago that queens start laying eggs just after winter solstice so that's when they need protein.
Just like chickens start laying eggs after winter solstice.
 

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