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  • Sugar syrup in honey

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #4007  by Wildfire
 09 Jul 2019, 13:19
Ok so I've popped another super on top of the other super and mixed frames a little so there are a few with honey interspersed with the frames that need the wax foundation drawn out I put a couple of small hate of feed on top just to help draw comb ( (I think this may have been a mistake))as how can I be sure the syrup won't contaminate the honey .Please advise Thanks :roll:
 #4009  by Japey Edge
 09 Jul 2019, 13:36
All the advice I have read concludes with "never feed with a super on".

I suppose if the bees are going to be re-using it then it's not an issue, but if you're putting it in jars it won't be real honey.
 #4010  by AdamD
 09 Jul 2019, 13:54
Wildfire wrote:
09 Jul 2019, 13:19
how can I be sure the syrup won't contaminate the honey .Please advise Thanks :roll:
You can't!

If there is honey in one super and you've added a second super, there should be no need to feed. Blackberry is flowering (for me anyway) so there should be income enough to draw comb if the bees need to.
 #4011  by NigelP
 09 Jul 2019, 14:23
As Adam, you can't now be sure, so take it off.
There is a major flow over most of the country at the moment...nectar is not in short supply.

Bees will draw comb in supers when THEY want to or need to.
I added a super of undrawn over one hive, more for bee parking space than any hopes of them drawing it out. They drew an odd bit over a period of several weeks....
Over the last two weeks (corresponding to blackberries/chestnut/limes all in flower and good weather) they have fully drawn and 3/4 filled it...need another super adding......
 #4012  by Wildfire
 09 Jul 2019, 14:56
Ok guys thanks .Think I've been over thinking this and therefore making mistakes .The bees know best .Have removed the feeders and will leave it up to the them. ;)
 #4013  by Japey Edge
 09 Jul 2019, 15:28
Wildfire wrote:
09 Jul 2019, 14:56
Ok guys thanks .Think I've been over thinking this and therefore making mistakes .The bees know best .Have removed the feeders and will leave it up to the them. ;)
Don't worry about it, I'm constantly doing the wrong thing.

Wait until you do something in the heat of the moment and get back in the house and think "I wouldn't have advised someone to do that". :lol:
 #4014  by Patrick
 09 Jul 2019, 19:50
Jazz is right, don’t sweat it - no harm done. Bees probably thought it was an early Christmas!
 #4015  by NigelP
 09 Jul 2019, 20:05
Wildfire wrote:
09 Jul 2019, 14:56
and therefore making mistakes
No worries, some us (me at least) are making mistakes they haven't even got names for ...yet.
The bees usually bail you out..