Moving from fontant to syrup

[BeeFarmer]

Hello,

This year is my first year of beekeeping and last weekend I attended the association's lecture on wintering and spring development. However, since the talk I've been thinking a few things over and could do with a little bit of clarification.

I understand the need to feed the bees well in the autumn to get them through the winter months with plenty of stores and I'm currently feeding my colony fondant which they continue to take down. However am I correct in thinking that the best time to move onto a 1:1 liquid syrup feed will be around the start of March or should I wait a little later until the temperatures are a little higher. Obviously I won't use syrup if it is too cold but where I live the temperatures appear to have finally started heading towards double figures. At present I am simply lifting the crown board, placing the fondant down and closing everything up as quickly as I can. A lot of suiting for a 10 - 20 second operation

In addition, I am thinking about ordering some pollen substitute encase there is a delay in them bringing in their own pollen. I'm planning to use this as soon as I start feeding syrup which I believe is the best route until I see them bringing in there own... right?

 

[The Gardener]

Hiya,

best time to switch to syrup is when the bees are able to leave the hive on a frequent basis to relieve themselves! It's never great to feed them constantly and, in an ideal world, they'd take care of themselves with enough honey stores to make it through to Spring.
It's February now and the Queen will be kick starting her laying so plenty of food stores will be used. Change to syrup when you see them flying regularly. It goes on top of the crown board so no need to be disturbing the bees until later in the year. Plus, you could probably get away without the suit unless your bees are particularly bad tempered.
There aren't that many flowers available until late Spring so pollen substitute is a good idea.

 

[BeeFarmer]

Thankfully they're not bad tempered so I'll just put a veil on in future. I;m looking forward to the year ahead

 

[REDWOOD]

first the question must be asked why do we feed bees, if they have enough stores why bother if they don't have stores feed........ simples

 

[Swarm]

first the question must be asked why do we feed bees, if they have enough stores why bother if they don't have stores feed........ simples

Reading the various threads on feeding it seems like a given that the ritual syrup/ fondant/ syrup method is applied.

 

[clv101]

Reading the various threads on feeding it seems like a given that the ritual syrup/ fondant/ syrup method is applied.

Which is a sensible approach IF you weren't able to / don't know if you did feed them enough in the autumn, or aren't able to assertion if they need feeding now. Of course, it's a far better to become a better beekeeper, but until then...

 

[drex]

Plenty of pollen going in my hives in last few days. Confident they had enough stores going into winter. Still hefting ok. I know that now is most dangerous time but hope I will not have to supplement

 

[dclewis]

Have a look see how your first major nectar flow plant is progressing. For me its OSR and with the weather at the moment so warm its really starting to sprout upwards. So its now a judgement call to say if the weather is going to continue mild through March and end up with a really early OSR flowering. If it does and I want to take max advantage of the first major flow then stimulation feeding for my conditions shouldn't be delayed. (First cherry blossoms seen here today.)

 

[REDWOOD]

To be honest If you are not confident on hefting and not sure what the bees have stored keep going with the fondant until it's warm enough to open the hive and see for your self, then decide if they need a 1:1 feed to get then going. better to feed than have dead bees which is critical this time of year.

 

[MuswellMetro]

hmmmmm, I'm not a syrup feeder in spring, my veiw if it is done by a beginner to a heavy hive it blocks the brood nest and they swarm on the first warm day in April

I only ever put fondant if ithink it is light by hefting , to bring them on for OSR i add pollen subsstitute and a feeder of lemon scented water so they can dilute the stores/fondant, they need pollen not sugar to biuld up

This year i think it will be swarms starting the first week in april as they are biulding fast

 

[REDWOOD]

Too wet here

 

[enrico]

I agree with muswell.... We see it all the time, over feed at this time of the year and all they want to do is swarm! Let them progress naturally into spring and summer if at all possible. Any feed now should be emergency feed only. The only time this isn't true in my opinion is when you have a really early crop like OSR. Then obviously you need the bees to work it so you artificially increase them with food so that they are ready in time.
We seem to be getting into the 'feed fondant''feed spring syrup' routine whatever the hive is like and I am not sure that is they way to go.
E

 

[dclewis]

If its a feed for stimulating brood production then its little and often so it should not clog the brood chamber as it is used as fast as its taken down, but then it really is a matter of knowing when, how much and how often to apply the feed.

 

[REDWOOD]

If its a feed for stimulating brood production then its little and often so it should not clog the brood chamber as it is used as fast as its taken down, but then it really is a matter of knowing when, how much and how often to apply the feed.

Agree, but for a new beekeeper who has no experience in hefting it is better to keep the fondant on until it's warm enough to look inside and check store levels. On first inspection if the brood box is full of stores, a frame of comb or foundation can be swapped with a frame of stores and put to the side of the brood nest. I know this is not the best way but a better way than bees starving to death

 

[BeeFarmer]

Whilst we're on the subject of fondant, I have another question. I always wait until the temperature is 10 - 11 degrees and over before opening the hive. However, since feeding fondant simply means lifting the cover board and placing it on top of the frames (preferred placing) and then close the hive up again am I safe to do this when it is only 8+ degrees outside. I'm not removing frames and I'm not leaving the hive open for more than 20 seconds but paranoia has set in about doing some harm.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If the bees need it just put it on irrespective of temperature. Quickly in and out

 

[pargyle]

Mine are expanding fast ... it's been very mild (17 degrees yesterday !) with sunny spells and I'm seeing masses of pollen going in ... the colony temperature this morning at 8.00am (after a night when the ambient temp dropped to 7 degrees) was 19.6 degrees - that's a pretty sure sign that there's brood and a growing colony if I'm not mistaken.

The debris on my sticky board (actually it's no longer sticky as I check it twice a day and sweep the debris off) is primarily pollen based with a few bits of wax to the ends of the brood area where I would think they are uncapping stores. I'm going to have a peek through the clear crownboard again on Saturday if the weather is clement. I've not fed them (yet) and I'm hopeful that I won't have to. No OSR around here that I can see yet but there are cherry trees, wild plum and blackthorn out and lots of domestic gardens with spring flowers - so plenty of pollen but not so great for nectar. There's a lot of pussy willow about as well which will be good if the weather remains dry enough for them to fly.

 

[BeeFarmer]

Not to self, always take the smoker and don't knock the crown board. A 20 second job can soon end with 2 minutes of very angry bees, oops! All fast asleep now

 

[alfazer]

Am I doing it wrong...fondant above hole in crown board? I don't lift the crown board at all.

 

[lebouche]

Am I doing it wrong...fondant above hole in crown board? I don't lift the crown board at all.

Nope, you are doing it right...