2:1 syrup measurements.

[Curly green finger's]

Hi, here are some measurements of winter syrup I use for winter.
2:1 = 1kg of sugar to 500ml of water.
5l of made up 2:1 syrup increases stores by 3kg.
In 4.5 kgs of honey there is 3.5kgs of sugar.
Eg... Your colony is 4.5kgs lighter than you want it to be ,so you will need to make up 3.5kgs of sugar into 2:1

For other shortfalls multiple that by 0.8.

Frame weights. Approximate weight of honey in the comb.

Bs national 2.5kg
Bs shallow 1.6/7
As most of my hives are standards I've used this as a guide for them.
Any questions feel free to ask.


I'm going to add some details about sugar and boiling it up to kill any natural yeasts to stop it fermenting to this thread, as I don't use thymol In my syrup, and have never had my sugar honey ferment in 5 seasons this process works.

It works with just adding boiling water to your sugar straight from a pan or kettle. But you can boil it for a longer period at certain temps which is fine but I wonder sometimes if it's a good process.

Thanks
Mark

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

2:1 is not 1kg sugar to 500ml of water.
e2:1 was originally worked out in imperial measurement (2 lbs to one pint) and doesn't convert well to metric as the water content is too low meaning you'll have difficulty dissolving the sugar and it will quickly crystalise in the feeders.
So when using metric it should be 1KG sugar to 630 ml water (although measurments do not have to be preise)

 

[Curly green finger's]

2:1 is not 1kg sugar to 500ml of water.
e2:1 was originally worked out in imperial measurement (2 lbs to one pint) and doesn't convert well to metric as the water content is too low meaning you'll have difficulty dissolving the sugar and it will quickly crystalise in the feeders.
So when using metric it should be 1KG sugar to 630 ml water (although measurments do not have to be preise)

I agree, I only do it like this because its easier when making lots of syrup up.

You can put less water in than 500ml.
But you end up having syrup stuck to the inside of your feeder.
If your using plastic bucket feeders it also sticks to the gauze and the bees can't draw it out.

What are your thoughts jbm and anyone really on our girls storing fondant, if there's space and the weather allows.

I've observed fondant being stored in frames.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Fondant
In my experience bees eat the fondant and move it down to the brood box if they are active and there’s room.
Some have it that if you feed fondant you can tell which frames it’s in and avoid contamination of honey.
Of course once a bee has eaten the fondant added enzymes of her own and placed it in a cell it look just like honey.
As for syrup.
If I have to make a small batch for autumn feeding I use a large saucepan. Fill to three quarters of the way up with British granulated sugar and add boiling water to the same level. Stir. No measuring or weighing and you have your autumn syrup. Add thymol or Vit C as is your whim.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What are your thoughts jbm and anyone really on our girls storing fondant,
I've observed fondant being stored in frames.

Some would have you believe that bees only take fondant when they need food - ie they eat it immediately and don't store it - I know two commercial suppliers of Fondabee who make this claim and even that it is safe to put it on above honey supers as it won't contaminate the honey! one also claims that bees don't need water to assimilate fondant!!
Another one that could go into the beekeeping myths and magic room.
Of course they store it - and it looks no different to honey stores as they use water to liquefy the fondant then assimilate/invert it in their stomachs before storing it as 'honey' the little cells full of white stuff mingled in the stores that some people believe is fondant that bees have moved down is in fact pollen gone mouldy.
Quite a few years ago, due to various reasons I had a colony with a late introduced queen that, come November had little, if any stores, and for once the ivy had failed. rather than risk sugar syrup so late (I hadn't 'discovered' invert then) and mindful of the fact that I was away on another patrol in a few weeks I decided to autumn feed fondant. I was still worried they'd not have enough because usually, a kilo block of fondant will last over a week with a hungry colony and I was away for a fortnight so whilst I was at home I monitored them closely. I was shocked! I've never seen fondant being taken down so fast, day by day almost, I was topping up the fondant and day by day the hive was hefting heavier and heavier. By the time I set off for sea again they had cleared the best part of 12.5 kilos.
The next spring was very late and very cold but it was still the beginning of March by the time the hive was feather light and the bees needed emergency feeding.

And on the subject of fondant, forget the expensive 'bee centric' fondant products it's just bog standard baker's fondnt with a picture of a bee on and a massive markup added.
I think there's one supplier who also markets an 'invert' fondant. Again, snakeoil, it's just standard fondant with a thimbleful of invert syrup added during the production process rather than the usual glucose syrup.
It's all there to gull the gullible

 

[Newbeeneil]

Peter Edwards feeds nothing else than fondant. I'm trying this on my out lying apiaries this year.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/Fondant Peter Edwards.pdf

 

[Curly green finger's]

Peter Edwards feeds nothing else than fondant. I'm trying this on my out lying apiaries this year.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/Fondant Peter Edwards.pdf

Thanks Neil for the link.. I to will be doing this.
I went to order 5 boxes of fondant from my local Baker, and it was £10 a box.. But they now want me to pay £20 what a f-in liberty!.

 

[bobthecob]

I went to order 5 boxes of fondant from my local Baker, and it was £10 a box.. But they now want me to pay £20 what a f-in liberty!.

I just get it from Simon, though your local BKA may do it cheaper (mine does, but I can't be bothered driving to the collection site):

https://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/hive-care-feeding/10071-125kg-fondant-block.html

 

[Curly green finger's]

I just get it from Simon, though your local BKA may do it cheaper (mine does, but I can't be bothered driving to the collection site):

https://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/hive-care-feeding/10071-125kg-fondant-block.html

I'll contact our association.. I was expecting a better deal from the Baker considering that i sell them honey.
Cheers.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I went to order 5 boxes of fondant from my local Baker, and it was £10 a box.. But they now want me to pay £20 what a f-in liberty!.

And they probably got it for about £7 a slab!

 

[bobthecob]

I'll contact our association.. I was expecting a better deal from the Baker considering that i sell them honey.

Our BKA does it for £11 per £12.5kg slab I believe

 

[Curly green finger's]

And they probably got it for about £7 a slab!
More than likely, the prices have gone up, blame you know what.

Our BKA does it for £11 per £12.5kg slab I believe

That's a better price I've phoned our secretary and await a reply.

 

[Nannysbees]

What about making your own fondant? Has anyone done this, seems to be lots of videos online howe to do it

 

[Erichalfbee]

What about making your own fondant? Has anyone done this, seems to be lots of videos online howe to do it

Perfectly ok as long as you don’t boil it in my opinion. Lots of videos have one boiling the syrup to death.
A better way is to simply add water to icing sugar and knead.

But then you need to make your own icing sugar

 

[Curly green finger's]

Perfectly ok as long as you don’t boil it in my opinion. Lots of videos have one boiling the syrup to death.
A better way is to simply add water to icing sugar and knead.

But then you need to make your own icing sugar

Is it worth looking in the archives?
I can remember watching a video on here, of how to make fondant, it was a very informative video and really easy to follow.

 

[Curly green finger's]

What about making your own fondant? Has anyone done this, seems to be lots of videos online howe to do it

I've tried making fondant and candy but that was in 2017.
Can someone put a video of how to make it on here pls.??

 

[hemo]

Fondant prices vary around the UK, for instance BAKO. Some claim to be able to get it from some local branch's for under a tenner, however my local is Bako SE/London and it is about £13/£14 per block if I buy several to get free delivery.

 

[Hachi]

Does bookers sell it?

Anyone south of the M4 in the SW know where I can buy it at a reasonable price please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Does bookers sell it?

I've never seen it there - but you never know with different branches

 

[pargyle]

I've never seen it there - but you never know with different branches

Personally ... I'm an invert convert ... doesn't go off and keeps indefinitely, bees scoff it down, doesn't go mouldy, I've fed into November and they still take it when necessary ... saves a lot of faffing about. I get a good ivy crop down here late September/Early October and they tend to fill up with that and feeding is usually just a top up.