22 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

Sugar is no different though in a sense, it has to be grown, collected and processed by humans.

And you don't think pesticides are used in the growing of the sugar producing plants...?

 

Plus I think ants are more robust than we treat them

Edited by CoolColJ, April 21 2018 - 11:09 PM.

[drtrmiller]

Sugar is no different though in a sense, it has to be grown, collected and processed by humans.

And you don't think pesticides are used in the growing of the sugar producing plants...?

 

Plus I think ants are more robust than we treat them

 

Honey is bee vomit.  Bees collect liquid sugar from plants, then regurgitate it back into hive cells along with invertase enzyme, which hydrolyzes the sugar into glucose and fructose to prevent crystallization, before fanning it with their wings during the hot day to evaporate most of the water so it may be stored in concentrated form and resist spoilage.  Liquid fructose and glucose by itself is virtually clear in color, and so the color and flavor of honey is influenced exclusively by chemical and particulate contaminants other than sugar or water.  The chemical composition of honey cannot be known without performing a sophisticated and costly battery of laboratory analyses, and the composition of a certain brand or variety will undoubtedly vary even from batch to batch.  Further, minimally processed honey contains multitudes of yeasts and fungal spores, which remain inactive in undiluted sealed bottles, but quickly bloom when water is added.

 

In contrast, refined sugar from cane or beets and water are chemical components that exist in virtually pure chemical form (tap water averages about 99.97% water, while white sugar I've used in the past is certified to be at least 99.8% sucrose), and may be mixed together by the user in any predetermined ratio to achieve a repeatable known composition.

 

While there is nothing wrong with using honey if you believe it works for you, I would advise against recommending a commercial product where I was uncertain of the precise chemical composition or quality assurance as it relates to compatibility for antkeeper hobbyists.  Given that most ants perceive the world almost exclusively by smell and taste, the critical importance of these details cannot be overstated.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 22 2018 - 12:14 AM.

[Serafine]

Just try diluted maple syrup. Yes, it's a bit more expensive than honey or sugar but a bottle of it last forever (and it comes pretty close to the insect secretions ants drink in the wild).

Also note that a major part of the sugars used by bees to produce their honey does not come from flowers but from aphids and other plant-sucking creatures (these excret sweet sugary liquids that drop down on leaves/needles below where they get licked off by foraging bees), this is especially true for bees located in forested areas (and the main reason why forest honey has such a strong taste).