Curry trays

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

MrB

Drone Bee
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,112
Reaction score
0
Location
Oswestry, Shropshire, UK
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
3
not wanting to hijack another thread, i thought i would ask this in a new one.
Those who feed fondant in the plastic curry trays, do you just pack it with fondant leave the lid off and invert over the feed hole?
or do you keep lid on and cut a hole in the tray/lid same size of feed hole?

Thanks :)
 
I feed mine with the lid off but there have been lots of bees in the tray when I replace the fondant so I might just cut a hole in the lid. That way I can simply tape the empty tray over the entrance hole without spilling bees.
 
I cover the fondant with cling film and just slit the clingfilm when put on the hive. For a start, no fondant glued to the crownboard if they don't use it all. Also an extra film while in store and no chance of fondant sticking to the lid while stored.

Regards, RAB
 
See- all different.... I fill the container with wax slap over the cover board hole- when the bees have cleared it they vacate the container anyway- just replace with another filled container.
A note to all- bee farmers here in Sussex seem to be experiencing lighter hives than they expected for this time of the year so are putting fondant on now. Could be a tricky winter in store- -or no store!!
 
I use them without lids. Checked yesterday and I am replacing them later today due to the weather forecast.

I will take photos and post later.
 
I just don't get all this tray business.

I put on an empty super, my frames are in the green house, and put on a big chunk of fondant on top of the brood frames, replace CB and roof and job done.

Big chunk = 10kg.... ish. The offcut goes on a nuc.

KISS

PH
 
I just don't get all this tray business.

I put on an empty super, my frames are in the green house, and put on a big chunk of fondant on top of the brood frames, replace CB and roof and job done.

Big chunk = 10kg.... ish. The offcut goes on a nuc.

KISS

PH

Same here...or on top of crown board over feed hole in a big dollop,no containers...and any left over in spring is converted into syrup.
 
I just don't get all this tray business.

I put on an empty super, my frames are in the green house, and put on a big chunk of fondant on top of the brood frames, replace CB and roof and job done.

Big chunk = 10kg.... ish. The offcut goes on a nuc.

KISS

PH

Not too good with top bee space I imagine, but for the rest of us sounds simple enough
 
I tried a shallow takeaway container and found I couldn't put the hive roof back on properly. Don't know why...as everyone else seems to make it work. Had to add an eke on in the end.
 
I tried a shallow takeaway container and found I couldn't put the hive roof back on properly. Don't know why...as everyone else seems to make it work. Had to add an eke on in the end.

I added an eke.
 
Makes not a jot of difference what the beespace is.

OK, feel I'm about to expose my true level of stupidity. I thought top bee space meant that a gap over the top of the frames was for movement around the bb with the frames pretty much resting on the floor, so if there was a chunking great slab of fondant on top my reasoning was that movement would be restricted at best.

Preparing for great shame, what am I misunderstanding?
 
I have top bee space and thought that too but then thought I was probably wrong..I should :chillpill:
But, if you have a super above where the fondant is how do the bees keep the space warm when all the fondant is gone or is it by then Spring or have I really misunderstood.......... sorry.
 
M A no stupidity at all,and no need for shame...if we don't ask, or question things, then we would never learn anything.
The beespace is for the bee's to use beetween box's...a space which the bee's are less likely to fill with brace comb, beetween top bars and bottom bars within these box's,top space,or bottom....makes them easy to remove and replace without crushing bee's. With regards feeding fondant,be it in one single brood box,or two or more...the fondant can be placed on top, of the top box....the bee's need no space, as there are no more box's above...they have space to eat and move under and around the fondant...and still have space under the bottom bars and around the sides of the frames to move around.....the block of fondant can cover the entire cluster...so they are all within easy reach of food in colder weather.
 
With regards feeding fondant,be it in one single brood box,or two or more...the fondant can be placed on top, of the top box....the bee's need no space, as there are no more box's above...they have space to eat and move under and around the fondant...and still have space under the bottom bars and around the sides of the frames to move around.....the block of fondant can cover the entire cluster...so they are all within easy reach of food in colder weather.

Ah, hadnt thought about the sides - nor did I realise that there was still room for movement at the bottom of a single brood box with top space. Thanks
 
I just don't get all this tray business.

I put on an empty super, my frames are in the green house, and put on a big chunk of fondant on top of the brood frames, replace CB and roof and job done.

Big chunk = 10kg.... ish. The offcut goes on a nuc.

KISS

PH

But we are taught to keep brood area to a minimum to keep heat in- and you say you are putting on an empty super to accommodate fondant - surely the heat loss within that empty super will be detrimental
 
:biggrinjester:As P H says, 10kg and job done.

I don't need to normally feed anything starting with a full-to-the gunnels 14 x 12 broodbox, so anything I put on is usually insurance late February. If needed now, then certainly a big block, in one go, is easier for the bees and the beekeeper.

Beezy,

My hives mostly have a 50mm thick sheet of expanded polystyrene (EPS), from which I have cut a shape closely approximating to the container and in the appropriate place, over the crownboard. I would simply remove the piece and exchange for the deeper take-away carton which holds just about a kilo of fondant. Likely a 25mm piece of EPS over that.

Heather,

See- all different.... I fill the container with wax....

Yes, we are all different to you. We feed fondant!:biggrinjester:

Regards, RAB
 
Oy.. I feed fondant to - just cannot make it-:mad: Have to buy!! and for 16 colonies ,not cheap.

Oh bugger, just seen- well spotted...no prize though. Am trying to burn that queen breeding link .... never done before- and late for Scottish dancing Aaaahhhh. This multitasking isnt working
 
Last edited:
Bear in mind Heather all my units are poly. Yes it is a bit of space but most of it is full of feed and the bees managed well in the cold snap last year so I am reasonably confident.

PH
 
In the"good old days" didn't they put pieces of blanket around the fondant to keep them warm?
 
Back
Top