Fondant and Pollen feeding when to stop

[Bryanthebee]

Hi folks we are now at the stage where we have lots of pollen coming back do we withdraw the fondant and pollen substitute.

 

[Poly Hive]

My fondant and Neopoll are on and staying on for the immediate future.

I moved my hives last night and I now know for sure just how light some are, so the fondant stays on as insurance.

I will be making some syrup next week and installing the frame feeders if there is a break in this cool weather for something better.

I will then keep feeding 1:1 syrup and neopoll until the OSR flowers, probably another three weeks or so.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Conditions prevailing in the hive are the important signs. It will depend on other factors, most importantly the weather, and almost as important, the forage available to the bees.

If there is plenty of stores why add more?

If there is not, you have two choices 1) supply or 2) expect the bees to build up much more slowly or actually fail if stores expire.

Remember pollen is protein and fondant is carbohydrate. The bees need both. Your call for your bees in your local area.

RAB

 

[Midland Beek]

Hi folks we are now at the stage where we have lots of pollen coming back do we withdraw the fondant and pollen substitute.

It depends on how much work you want to make yourself and how you view your bees. I do not like creating unecessary work for myself and view my bees very much as wild creatures and not as pets.

 

[Moggs]

I had a quick look at the weekend and found a load of uncapped stores. The fondant is out, on this reckoning, though I will be careful to see if they need coaxing into the stores (I may yet bruise the cappings). I have put half a litre of 1:1 in each hive to give them a little nudge and was delighted to see huge dollops of yellow pollen arriving on Sunday. The FeedBee pollen substitute has been removed too (the bees weren't too pleased with it to be honest) so, with a little careful nurturing when needed, they are about to go self-sufficient!

 

[buzz lightyear]

My understanding is that fondant will help to maintain the over wintered bees, but the 1:1 syrup stimulates HM into laying, thus helping build up. But, to build up as Rab said you need carbs and protein.
Buzz

 

[Moggs]

Absolutely correct Buzz. I trust that my post didn't suggest otherwise. In my case - post-winter stores present (carbs), pollen going in (protein) and 1:1 to stimulate into action. Happy days....

 

[itchyhives]

I was wondering about this also, want to encourage spring build up on my 14x12, they have about 6 frames of capped stores when I checked the other day. I did have fondant on which they had pretty much polished off. Will they take the fondant over capped stores (stores don’t seem to be set hard). I have since taken the fondant off hoping they would use up some of the stores they don’t seem to be touching but not much pollen stored. Should I leave well alone now or, put on some neopoll, stimulate with a syrup feed? From what I could see only had 1 frame of brood. Ideas?? Don't mean to hijack but did seem relevant.

 

[Moggs]

Depends very much on temperature and available forage. If they're light on pollen and they get going (1:1 stimulation, as mentioned) with HM laying well, they should grab whatever pollen they can get. If there's little natural pollen available and they're light, then a substitute may do the trick, if they need it. If there's little brood, they may not bother. They will take fondant in preference to hard-capped stores (I wouldn't open a tin, if I had some fresh produce available)!

 

[richardbees]

If there are capped stores present I'd score across the facing frames with a hive tool to expose the syrup/honey and stop giving fondant as they have to create empty space for new brood.....they'll eat the most trouble free (from their point of view)