better dump it now, because come January and you dump all that sugar, you're going to have to pay $0.01 per ounce of sugary water that you create.
~3 lb. of white sugar in a plastic container with twist top, there are tiny little bugs crawling in it. :hmm: From an ecological standpoint, flush it or drop the container in the trash? I don't want to pour it in my compost pile because I figure it will attract ants and I already have a sometime problem with ant colonies invading the house.
Dissolve in boiling water
Pour through a filter
Place in a vacuum chamber or oven to boil off the water
Grind residue back into sugar.
Watch for sugar thieves
Or spend $2 to get a whole new bag.
I'll probably do something like that. I don't obsess on turning my pile. I have a cool tool that makes it easier than using a shovel (or pitchfork, which I also have), it's a kind of tough-tanged rake with a handle that's just genius (allows you to hack into stuff and just pull), but even so, my pile's so big, it's a lot of work to rearrange the pile. I don't worry about it, I just work most of the pile into the ground before planting my vegetables and figure what isn't composted will decompose in the ground eventually. When I dig the ground the following year I don't find uncomposted material, so my theory's evidently correct.I know it is a common guideline to rotate the pile....
I'd just dig a hole and dump the entire bag in. Moisture will dissolve the sugar eventually so you wont have this big mass of buried sugar.
I would, but it bugs me when they get caught in my teeth.or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.
It's just bugs. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.
or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.
It's just bugs. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.
I'll probably do something like that. I don't obsess on turning my pile. I have a cool tool that makes it easier than using a shovel (or pitchfork, which I also have), it's a kind of tough-tanged rake with a handle that's just genius (allows you to hack into stuff and just pull),
I just work most of the pile into the ground before planting my vegetables and figure what isn't composted will decompose in the ground eventually. When I dig the ground the following year I don't find uncomposted material, so my theory's evidently correct.
or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.
It's just bugs AND BUG POOP. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.
If they're all over in the sugar, you've got a much bigger problem in your cupboards. Nothing can live in the sugar. They might be happy eating and crawling around when you see them but, if they don't leave the container, they will die in a day. They didn't come in the sugar like bugs do in flour, they climbed in from outside the container.
Yeah, I'm not sure myself. Meantime, I've been really busy today and haven't gotten around to acting on this dilemma. The cylindrical white plastic container remains on my kitchen counter and the aliens inside are plotting their escape and takeover of the planet.I want pure carbohydrates, not carbohydrates mixed with a little bit of protein.
Other than ants, I've never heard of people having trouble with bugs in their sugar. Thus, it's possible that the OP discovered a brand new species of insect. Maybe the colony in his 3 pounds of sugar is the entire population of that species on this planet. If the OP boiled or otherwise killed those insects, he alone would be responsible for the extermination of an entire species of insect - a species that would probably be considered harmful. So, if the OP kills those insects, we will never know for sure if he was a hero.
That tool, well, I've never seen it selling anywhere since I spotted mine for sale around 8-10 years ago (along with others) at Canned Foods Market, a chain of supermarket-like stores in CA (possibly elsewhere too, I don't know) that sells cutout merchandise, stuff they buy from other retailers who want to get it off their shelves or out of their warehouses. You never know what you'll find in there. I never saw one again for sale anywhere after I bought mine. I'll take a picture or two, hopefully, and post it/them in this thread in a day or two.link to or name of tool?
Also my experience, I try not to fuss too much over what didnt decompose. Just bury it in the garden and it decays there.
Yes, I figured that for the case. Reason is the sugar came from a 25 lb bag I bought at Costco, probably close to a year ago, maybe longer. Only the sugar I transferred to that container has bugs.If they're all over in the sugar, you've got a much bigger problem in your cupboards. Nothing can live in the sugar. They might be happy eating and crawling around when you see them but, if they don't leave the container, they will die in a day. They didn't come in the sugar like bugs do in flour, they climbed in from outside the container.
So throw the solution in the fridge, recrystallize the sugar and isolate it. Of course, apparently the solubility of sugar in water even at 2 deg C is something ridiculous like 65% according to the chart I just looked up. Strange. So after all that work you'll still get less than half your sugar back.I want pure carbohydrates, not carbohydrates mixed with a little bit of protein.
Other than ants, I've never heard of people having trouble with bugs in their sugar. Thus, it's possible that the OP discovered a brand new species of insect. Maybe the colony in his 3 pounds of sugar is the entire population of that species on this planet. If the OP boiled or otherwise killed those insects, he alone would be responsible for the extermination of an entire species of insect - a species that would probably be considered harmful. So, if the OP kills those insects, we will never know for sure if he was a hero.
Photo of container and special rake I use to turn my compost pile:
Has this tricky problem been solved yet? If no one's suggested it, my vote goes to putting it in the freezer to kill the bugs, and use the sugar for hummingbird food.