Fondant

[jeff4051]

Have removed honey for extraction, first hopefully of many to come. Now only brood box ( National ) plenty of stores and brood in there. Bees still actively foraging around here. I will be feeding fondant thro winter what is the best way, place fondant on frames or place a super on top of crwn board and put fondant in there, I am concerned would it be too cold in super??? Have just bought fondant at B and Ms 1Kilo 99p.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

I would be feeding thick syrup from now for the next couple of weeks, I would only feed fondant in spring (March/April) in an emergency if to cold to feed syrup. i don't like the idea of having blocks of fondant on top of frames and winter cluster.
Thats my management but others on the forum do seem to be using fondant to a lesser/greater extent, I have to be convinced.

 

[jeff4051]

Will be feeding syrup but bees still foraging and very active in this part of the world. Don't really want to put on top of frames, messy???

 

[drstitson]

large chunk (4-6kg) on top of frames in an eke in mid winter IF NEEDED.

aim to get a full hive of stores by 5th november.

 

[Arfermo]

My bees are still foraging balsam and other stuff a little and there is ivy to come, so I am not feeding until later.
"Apifonda" from Wynne Jones comes in 2.5kg plastc bags which I slit open and place on top of bars within a shallow eke. "Ambrosia" is almost identical stuff and likewise is specifically formulated for bees and better than Tate & Lyle for that reason. INo need to use the whole bag - half the bag on at the one time depending on the needs of the bees and the length of time they take it, if at all. I invariably do this in conjunction or very shortly after treating with Oxalic in early Jan. It needs to be above the cluster for obvious reasons - the bees prefer to walk up rather than down for the stores and it is kept warmer up there along with any condensation from under the CB for softening the fondant and for a drink if they need it.

 

[pargyle]

Will be feeding syrup but bees still foraging and very active in this part of the world. Don't really want to put on top of frames, messy???

Fondant on frames isn't messy ... roll it out to about 3/4" thick, wrap it in cling film then cut some slits in the film on the downward facing side of the slab so they can get at it. Place on top of frames, you might need a thin eke depending on your crownboard. Cling film keeps it from drying out ... I wouldn't feed until they need it though. If they have plenty of stores built up you may not need to feed them at all ... certainly not until after Christmas. Important to heft or weigh hives though so you know when the weight is down ...

 

[jeff4051]

Thanks for the replies, just come back from apiary weather very mild, bees very busy.

 

[HM Honey]

I put the fondant in a super above the crown board. The super is then filled with Kingspan loft insulation. Worked for me last winter (no losses) so will do it again this winter and see if it has same results.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I will be feeding fondant thro winter what is the best way, place fondant on frames or place a super on top of crwn board and put fondant in there, I am concerned would it be too cold in super??? Have just bought fondant at B and Ms 1Kilo 99p.

Plenty of people overwinter their bees on fondant only, it means you don't need to give them any syrup at all.

A colony needs about 40lbs stores to overwinter, they may already have that much within the brood box - you would need to check and may need to give them more than one kilo of fondant. (Have you extracted honey from within the brood box?) Check to see if the brood frames contain stores or not, they'll bring in some nectar from ivy.

Where you put the fondant can depend on the amount of insulation and, of course, local temperatures. If you put the fondant above a feeder board (crown board with one or more holes) there is a risk of them becoming isolated from it, because the cluster may not be beneath the feeder hole(s). Putting it directly on the frame tops is easier. In both cases it needs to be wrapped in either plastic or foil, or in a container of some sort - to stop the surface drying out. You may need to use a shallow eke for space, if you use a super it's probably best to backfill it with insulation. Ideas here http://www.stratfordbeekeepers.org.uk/PENotes/Fondant.htm

If you can get fondant at 99p per kilo it won't hurt to buy several packs. It stores very well, and for ages, even if it's kept in a shed.

 

[Arfermo]

Have just bought fondant at B and Ms 1Kilo 99p.

Who are B & Ms please? Can't work it out.

 

[jeff4051]

Its a low cost shop nationwide. If you google B and M you will find your nearest store. Cheap and cheerful

 

[Tom Bick]

Have removed honey for extraction, first hopefully of many to come. Now only brood box ( National ) plenty of stores and brood in there. Bees still actively foraging around here. I will be feeding fondant thro winter what is the best way, place fondant on frames or place a super on top of crwn board and put fondant in there, I am concerned would it be too cold in super??? Have just bought fondant at B and Ms 1Kilo 99p.

If B&M is a supermarket then I have a feeling that what they sell as fondant has additives and not quite the same as the fondant people often refer too.
I may be wrong and perhaps someone will know and confirm one way or the other.