Crown board ventilation over winter

[pargyle]

We've been feeding fondant for a few weeks now here in Cromarty as they turned up their noses at our home made syrup [maybe it was due to the plastic milk bottles its kept in? -- we've now got ambrosia syrup from excellent local supplier near Inverness -- haven't syrupped them yet though as they're loving the fondant and a little of the fondabee we have left. Bea was bringing in loads of yellow pollen yesterday [9*C but sunny] -- the ivy seems +/- finished.
Is it a mishstake to use fondant then? Or is it a bit costly ££?

Jim + Lorna

Like most things in beekeeping there is more than one right way in beekeeping and much depends on personal preference - rarely does cost really come into it - most beekeepers are pretty frugal and will just seek to buy their preferred option at the best price they can find.

The key thing whether you feed syrup, fondant, a mixture of both or leave them enough of their own honey is to ensure that they have the right amount of stores to see them through the winter and that they are fed at the right time.. it is as bad to over feed the bees as it is to under feed. They need space in the build up to winter for the queen to lay and then enough stores in the hive to survive.

My personal preference is to feed invertbee late in the season if they need a top up after the ivy flow. I have fondant and would use it if a colony was light in spring. I find they guzzle down invertbee very quickly and store and cap it - but you should do what suits you best.

Feeding to ensure they have stores to survive is important but I see a lot of beekeepers who seem to think that they should be fed 10 months out of the year and then wonder why colonies don't grow... simple answer is often that they don't leave enough space for the queen to lay when she needs space - I've even seen slabs of fondant placed on hives full of stores 'just in case' ... in case of what I would ask !!!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I've even seen slabs of fondant placed on hives full of stores 'just in case'

People probably think it will do no harm. I was told when I started a few years ago that bees don't store fondant. One was very experienced and the other a Bee Inspector. I said this was the opposite of my experience and they accepted it. I don't think either of them used fondant and were just passing on an old truism/myth.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

People probably think it will do no harm. I was told when I started a few years ago that bees don't store fondant. One was very experienced and the other a Bee Inspector. I said this was the opposite of my experience and they accepted it. I don't think either of them used fondant and were just passing on an old truism/myth.

I know of one former SBI that peddled the same myth, even telling it was safe to leave fondant on well into spring and the 'June gap' as the sugar wouldn't get mixed in with the honey stores
But then again he had a very profitable business - selling fondant and invert syrup

 

[MeAndMyBees]

Thanks for all the advice. What do people use for tubs for fondant? I've been using the standard bags that fondant comes in like Fondabee...

I keep Small or Medium sized eg Food Containers (Take Away's are better than Ice Cream types *)
I cut say a x1 Inch / x3 cm Hole in the Lid / And also on a Side Panel of the same said Container. Its easier to Cut into Take Away Containers than Ice Cream ones*.
These seem more brittle and crack.
By Cutting Two located Holes : any Bees that might not be /see Food near them. Won't Starve from not knowing a Tub of "Food" was just out-with their reach !
Invert the Container upside Down / Lid closest to the Bees. The Lid "Rim" will give them "Bee Space" to Crawl, Wriggle, Move, in and around that access Hole. By adding a Second Hole, also helps if the Fondant 'might' get Sticky & Gloopy and drop right over the 'Single' Lid Hole. A Spare Access point, maybe also nearer the Brood/Bee Cluster, might mean they have less distance to go. Have seen a dwindled Colony just near the food, but demised before they got it !
Hope this helps. . .
Sure others will add their 'ways' too.
Each Hive, Colony, Location, and Climate, makes no 'one' way be the 'only way'.

 

[inthewoods]

Food Containers Take Away's ..if you put them in hot bowl of water for a few mins..they are easy to cut and dont crack...

 

[Erichalfbee]

I put cut up fondant into vacuum sealer bags and put over the feeder hole surrounded by insulation.

Colonies in dire need, need fondant on the top bars.