Adding a supplement

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think I will start adding a supplement of thymol in lecethin. I am guessing i will find these on ebay.

You will find Lecithin on ebay or, at your local healthfood shop (it's a soya derivatives and some people sprinkle it on their allbran! ) you will probably have to buy half a kilo, even though you only need a few teaspoonfuls a year. keep it in a sealed jar, it will last for year although it will go from looking like dry couscous to 'melting' into a claggy lump.
Best place for thymol is C Wynne Jones, although you may find it on ebay.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks for naming the chap!

Professor ............ David Evans.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Thanks for naming the chap! You may well be right that his reasons for fondant only is access,

I'm feeding my outlying apiaries with fondant this year so I don't have to keep topping up feeders and making long journeys. David Evans ,the Apiarist, (Fatshark on this forum) used to have a link to Peter Edwards notes on feeding fondant. Dave Cushman has a link to the same notes.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Professor ............ David Evans.

Reading Professor David Evans reasons for going the fondant route, it does make eminent sense, especially if you use polycarbonate crown boards as well. Hardly need to disturb the bees at all through the cold months. That is unless you decide to undo everything and douse them in OA solution in January.
Mr.........The Poot.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've been using reversable perspex crown boards for three seasons, perfect for putting fondant straight on top of the frames above the cluster. The attached eke helps. The one in the picture has extra bee space on one side and the eke is 50mm this was made with bits of left timber.
Perspex is 5mm thick.

 

[colinlyne]

New to beekeeping this year. Have two hives and preparing for winter. We have started to feed with sugar water does anyone add a supplement to the sugar like "hive alive' or honey bee healthy? Any advice gratefully received

I have only been a Beek for three years but used Hive Alive for the first two, the colonies doing well the following year. Last year, I didn’t use it, and my colonies met problems, losing one of the two I had. I like the stuff.

 

[Arfermo]

New to beekeeping this year. Have two hives and preparing for winter. We have started to feed with sugar water does anyone add a supplement to the sugar like "hive alive' or honey bee healthy? Any advice gratefully received

Am surprised you need to feed this side of Xmas?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Am surprised you need to feed this side of Xmas?

It depends on how much honey you take or indeed whether the colonies have made enough. Mine haven’t. Some capped stores in some supers with not enough in the broods. They are 14x12 so not leaving a super on top for them.

 

[Nannysbees]

It depends on how much honey you take or indeed whether the colonies have made enough. Mine haven’t. Some capped stores in some supers with not enough in the broods. They are 14x12 so not leaving a super on top for them.

Hello, we are not taking any honey this year trying to leave then a full super over winter. We didn't have our bees until June this year when we had to feed and although they have done remarkably well having to draw out every frame of foundation and put stores in we have been advised to feed.

 

[colinlyne]

In my opinion, for my bees, Hive Alive has worked, so this is my proof.

 

[Murox]

New to beekeeping this year. Have two hives and preparing for winter. We have started to feed with sugar water does anyone add a supplement to the sugar like "hive alive' or honey bee healthy? Any advice gratefully received

I get great results from the recipe in post 5. I do add two or three drops of lemongrass oil to all the syrup I make up

...............edit................. making your own Thymol emulsion as per the recipe in the resources section basically the same but without the magic fairy dust and much cheaper

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...ma-fermentation-of-syrup-feed.6513/post-74387