Talk:Beekeeping/Recipes for the Bees

I think showing an example ot the 1:1 & / or 2:1 formula would be helpful. The weight of water is not given. Water weighs 8.34 lb/gal so a 1:1 solution is 8.34 lbs (#) of sugar to 1 gal of water and 2:1 is 16.64 lb sugar/gal of water smaller ratios would be the following: 2 qts (1/2 gal) = 4.17 lbs 1 qt (1/4th gal) = 2.09# 1pt (1/8gal) = 1.04# & 1 cup(1/16th gal) = .52# ...Phillip Bradbury Lafayette CO USA

There's no reason not to briefly boil a sugar syrup solution. It helps to fully dissolve the sugar crystals. Of course, the syrup should not be boiled for more than a couple of minutes, since we aren't making sugar candy, and we definitely don't want to caramelize the syrup. I recommend the article be changed to include "Mix sugar and water together, bring to a boil without mixing, then cover and boil for 2 minutes to dissolve all sugar crystals. Do not boil for longer than 2 minutes, you just want to dissolve all the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool." I know everyone has different ways of doing things, but the wording in the article as it stands suggests that something will go wrong if you let the syrup come to a boil. Baineasag (talk) 15:36, 14 May 2010 (UTC) Grand Junction, CO USA

For the benefit of any peeps from GB who might read this, 1:1 would be 2lb of sugar (where 1lb = 16oz) and 1pt of water (where 1 pint = 20 fl. oz) and it might be easier if the whole thing were done in ounces and fluid-ounces? Although the vast majority of the rest of the world, would doubtless prefer milligrammes and millilitres, so my mix above would be 1kg:560ml for a 1:1 syrup. RGB, New Forest, Hampshire, England.

Can anyone explain 'pulverized mineral salt'?
Very handy guide BUT the reference to mineral salt could do with an explantion. Does it refer to sea salt or a mixture of various natural salts? Any further guidance here would be much appreciated.


 * You might have better luck asking on the forums as beemaster.com - that's a very active community, though I doubt they know about this wikibook. That said, I could hazard a guess. Perhaps mineral salt could be the type of mineral salt block made for cattle. But I really don't know!  --Jomegat (talk) 23:22, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

Mineral salt is a rusty red color usually. You can buy mineral salt blocks for livestock at the Feed and Seed store, or buy Mineral Salt Wheels for rabbits at the pet store.

There is some debate whether the sodium content in these supplements is harmful for bees. Bee and insect physiology uses a lot more potassium than mammals. The counter argument is that bees will freely gather the salt from saltwater pools with no apparent ill effects. In any case, there are different mineral mixtures for each mammal species. rabbits =/= goats =/= sheep. 68.118.242.5 (discuss) 00:05, 19 April 2014 (UTC)

Fondant making
The recipe given results in a syrupy mess rather than fondant. Don't follow it. Instead, use these proportions: 8 cups (4lb) sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup 2 cups water. Bring the mixture up to 240 degrees without stirring--not 239. That may not seem like much of a change, but it makes all the difference. Reaching that temperature will take 5 minutes or less, so watch the mixture carefully. Once you reach that temperature, immediately place the pot in your sink. Wait only about 5 minutes so mixture will cool barely enough to handle. Beat with a wooden spoon or spatula just until it thickens and turns white. Don't wait too long or the mixture will set up HARD. Pour mixture quickly onto a plastic or silicone-covered counter. (Here's where you really need two people because you need to do this very quickly.) Before the mixture gets really hard, score it into approximate 5 inch squares. When it cools completely, carefully lay the chunks of bee candy over the brood and, if the hives are really too light to make it through the winter, add some also to the next box up. With this treatment, my bees made it through a horrid Minnesota winter.