Bee food - fondant vs syrup

[jbr]

Can anybody give me a simple answer and explain the differences to the bees of feeding them sugar syrup and fondant. Also when to feed and why the difference between the strength of sugar syrup. Thanks.

 

[Heather]

IMOO

Spring they need more water so a feed of 1 pint water to 1 lb sugar given as a syrup,helps the digestive system get flushed and promoted good health.

Late Autumn/Winter they need the sugar so 1 pint to 2 lb as syrup for them to take down and store-(presuming you have nicked the honey).

Each hive may need up to 8 pints- depends on colony

Then over winter stick a couple of lb of fondant on top of the brood area for them to nibble at .

But others may jump in with different

 

[oliver90owner]

Heather has it right, except the amounts and she hit the nail on the head when she mentioned water.

Development (spring and summer, colonies or nucs) - strong 'nectar' to mix with pollen for bee grub (for growing larvae), or for wax production - need 5(?) lots of honey for each amount of wax. No need for water or nectar collection, only pollen (and that may be there already).

Stores (autumn feed) - strong syrup as they need to evaporate the water to emulate honey. They are only moving it, so ideally 18% water, but we can't quite manage that, so strongest we can get in practice.

Winter feed - fondant - they want energy for warmth, usually using honey at ~18% water, fondant is close enough and doesn't leak away (or drown the bees!)

Regards, RAB