As a child we used to go on holiday to my parents native Sicily. In the
mountains were long disused sulphur mines, occasionally we would find lumps
of yellow rock sulphur. If you set it alight, the rock burns, melting to a
deep red/orange liquid with a flame which is only a few millimetres high,
almost clinging to the rock, and gives off a white smoke. Breathing in the
white smoke (unintentionally) gave a particularly acrid burn to the back of
the nostrils. I guess I've consumed enough sulphur dioxide for a lifetime!
My grandad told me how when the mines were in full use the mountainside
would be covered in smoke, which must have been fun for humans and animals
alike!
Gino
On 3 November 2017 at 18:55, Ann Welch <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Wow good to know Gino, thanks.
I believe it’s the sulphur dioxide that keeps dried apricots yellow. I was
introduced to the “brown” (unadulterated) apricots by a friend, she
wouldn’t have the “normal” kind. I don’t really know why Sulphur dioxide
in Apricots would be considered toxic (at least to humans). Sulphur
dioxide SO and water H2O turns into Sulphuric acid H2SO4 of course but I
can’t imagine it would be exactly concentrated ! I bet the bees notice it
more than we would though. Interesting.
ttfn
Ann
*From:* Gino Sprio
*Sent:* Friday, November 3, 2017 6:24 PM
*To:* oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [oxnatbees] Re: Time to remove feeders
Hello
La Patisserie in Kidlington 01865 372078, sell fondant in 12.5kg boxes
for about £15.
You will need to call them to order it, takes about a week.
The stuff they have ordered for me has no sulphur dioxide in it, which is
often added as a preservative.
Hope that helps
Gino
On 3 November 2017 at 14:53, Mary Baker <maryevelynbaker@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dear Paul
I would like to come to the meeting on 16th. I have some questions about
feeding, which maybe you would be able to answer at the meeting?
1) I only have one box full of bees. I gave them two feeder-fulls, 2kg
of sugar, I think. I stopped because you warned us about the cold - it was
the end of September. Then I was shocked to think I could have carried on
into October it was so mild. Have they had enough? Could I put some food
into the bottom?
2) How do you feed during the winter? I have a spare quilt box as I
thought it would help with feeding.
3) I want to mix some wool that I picked off fences and washed, with the
chippings in the quilt box, would that be all right? I feel the wool would
be warmer but I haven't enough to fill the box.
4) Can you wrap the whole hive up to keep it warm?
Thank you
Mary
On 25 Oct 2017, at 12:58, Paul Honigmann (Redacted sender"paul.honigmann" for DMARC) <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
honey, and soon the weather will be too cool for them to make use of syrup.
Bees need a minimum ambient temperature to process nectar or syrup into
At that point, a feeder in the top of a hive can cause problems, depending
on type.
quilt and placing them there. Once the bees have drunk them dry, these are
I use top feeders in my Warres, by removing some insulation in the
simply an empty volume in the middle of their quilt, and a chimney for
losing heat. Also some people find that once they are empty the bees begin
building comb in them. So once the bees are finished feeding for the year,
it is best to remove them and replace them with insulation again.
the hive, so feel free to ignore this advice. Internal feeders may give
This doesn't really apply to other feeder types which are placed inside
other problems, but they don't lose heat. I continue to favour the top
feeders though because (1) the bees below keep the syrup warm and (2) I can
open the hive (roof) and pour in syrup without the bees coming out to
defend against me.
guards.
Oh, and if you haven't done so yet, it is definitely time to fit mouse
Paul
