Fondant dripping through to varroa board

[Bluetractorman]

I put 12.5kg of fondant, in 2 successive blocks of 6.25kg directly on top of a Q excluder, on the top bars of national brood frames in early and late Oct.
The second block is almost all gone but there's still about 1kg left of v hard fondant, the cluster is directly under the blue wrapper and remaining fondant.
Liquid sugar is dripping through to the varoa board. In Dec it was the occasional half penny sized blob of brown liquid. I wasn't sure what it was until I tasted it - needs must. I'd put in varroa boards at the time I treated with OA in Dec.
The amount of fondant dripping through is increasing, now 10p sized blob per day. I've taken the varroa board out in case better ventilation helps although as there's a super underneath I doubt the VB is making much difference. Presuming it's still coming through although without the varroa board can't be certain.
Hive weight is fine. Should I remove the fondant, replacing it with some fresh?

 

[Boston Bees]

How interesting, thanks for sharing this.

That isn't good.

From an information-gathering point of view, I would be very grateful if you would change nothing apart from removing the varroa board, and adding more fondant I guess, if the remaining stuff is solid. That will let us know if this problem was caused by the varroa tray being in. I suspect that was part of the problem here. I wouldn't have thought fondant could get so gloopy to run through a QEx like that.

PS: Your post says " The amount of varroa dripping through" but you mean fondant of course, in case you want to edit that (no need, as it's obvious, but just thought I would mention it)

 

[Arfermo]

I put 12.5kg of fondant, in 2 successive blocks of 6.25kg directly on top of a Q excluder, on the top bars of national brood frames in early and late Oct.
The second block is almost all gone but there's still about 1kg left of v hard fondant, the cluster is directly under the blue wrapper and remaining fondant.
Liquid sugar is dripping through to the varoa board. In Dec it was the occasional half penny sized blob of brown liquid. I wasn't sure what it was until I tasted it - needs must. I'd put in varroa boards at the time I treated with OA in Dec.
The amount of varroa dripping through is increasing, now 10p sized blob per day. I've taken the varroa board out in case better ventilation helps although as there a super underneath I doubt the VB is making much difference. Presuming it's still coming through although without the varroa board can't be certain.
Hive weight is fine. Should I remove the fondant, replacing it with some fresh?

Are you sure your bees need any fondant? Putting so much on so early in the upcoming dormant season was a little OTT perhaps. By now I think any nadired super should have been removed too. Just a friendly thought - even if others like Boston Bees think otherwise.

 

[pargyle]

I'm with Afermo on this.

I suspect that having been on so long and in such quantity that the fondant has absorbed moisture from the hive atmosphere and become runny. One of the reasons I think the propensity to feed early 'just in case' is not the best idea. Fondant is your best friend if bees eat through the stores they have been left with but with a nadired super and a brood box well stocked going into winter there should not have been the need for constant fondant feeding. They may be using it or they may be storing it but- if they have stopped taking it down they may have just been stuffed to the gunnels ...

In October and November down here on the Costa del Fareham (not that far away from the Sussex Riviera) my bees were still foraging well and bringing in buckets of Ivy nectar .. I fed them a few litres of invert syrup to top them up but the hives are still heavy and I suspect I will be removing brood frames full of stores by the time brooding starts in earnest.

 

[Bluetractorman]

Thanks all for your very helpful thoughts. I probably have erred on the over generous side. I think I'll remove the remaining fondant and keep an eye on the weight. It's a balmy 9 degrees today so a good day to open up briefly.

 

[drex]

Since my bees are fairly near to me, I prefer to give a maximum of about 2 kg of fondant at a time, IF NEEDED. I learned from my earlier days when I used to feed more.

 

[user 6228]

wrap it in clingfilm and leave a small opening. The bees can deal with cling film. they can tear it up and eventually throw it out the entrance

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Or if you want to be more environmentally conscious in these eco friendly days - why not try some of these wax wraps I've heards so much about?

 

[bontbee]

wrap it in clingfilm and leave a small opening. The bees can deal with cling film. they can tear it up and eventually throw it out the entrance

and apart from env considerations, I have seen bees shred cling so finely that they end up trapped in it, with it wrapped around various body parts......

I use plastic(!), clear takeway containers, with a hole cut in the lid, (rather than just removing the lid). It helps keep the fondant soft and reduces the surface area that can slump on to the bees....! You can also readily see when the tub is emptying. The containers take only about 1lb of fondant but, on the odd occasion I use it, I rarely need to top up.