Fondant on crownboard - today the day to move it?

[SunnyRaes]

The resident beek put fondant onto the hives 2 weeks ago, however put it over the hole on the crownboard instead of on top of the frames. She's just read that bees might see this as outside of the hive, and therefore not feed from it. She has decided she is going to move it onto the tops of the frames today whilst the bees are guaranteed to be down in the hive.

Is today (cold) a sensible day to do it?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are they feeding from it?
I have fondant on top of a crown board hole on mine. One lot are chomping away at it the others not but I can tell from the cappings appearing under the floor and from the hive weights that they are OK. I won't open mine till the spring.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

All my hives have fondant above the crown boards, it'll be staying there and be replenished if needs be until spring. You don't want to be opening up the hive now if you can avoid it.

 

[SunnyRaes]

Sigh, I wish I'd asked earlier, as the hives are being opened now, but I didn't know it was being done till 2 minutes before she went out. It looks like shes putting the fondant onto the frames, adding a super becuase clearly there isn't (and wont be) enough room between the frames and the crownboard, then putting the crownboad and roof back on. Surely this empty super is going to the make the hive too cold?

As always, I wish I knew more to challenge but they're not my bees and I'm not trained. Maybe I will do that beginners course after all...

EDIT: OK, super on 1 hive - the others were all feeding from it and have been left. Not as bad as I thought, but still I guess the question is still valid...

 

[victor meldrew]

Sigh, I wish I'd asked earlier, as the hives are being opened now, but I didn't know it was being done till 2 minutes before she went out. It looks like shes putting the fondant onto the frames, adding a super becuase clearly there isn't (and wont be) enough room between the frames and the crownboard, then putting the crownboad and roof back on. Surely this empty super is going to the make the hive too cold?

As always, I wish I knew more to challenge but they're not my bees and I'm not trained. Maybe I will do that beginners course after all...

EDIT: OK, super on 1 hive - the others were all feeding from it and have been left. Not as bad as I thought, but still I guess the question is still valid...

Better be on his/her toes comeSpringtime! Or there'll be a right old mess to deal with.
VM

 

[SunnyRaes]

building comb inside the super off the crownboard I'm guessing?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

building comb inside the super off the crownboard I'm guessing?

yup

 

[Luminos]

Could perhaps have used an eke rather than a super?

 

[Outlander]

Fondant on top of CB on all mine, took some a while to find it but now most are on their second KG. An open super does seem to be a big space to heat. Good luck.

 

[fatshark]

Just pack the super full of bubble wrap ... it'll stop them filling the space up and provide insulation.

 

[MartinL]

Just pack the super full of bubble wrap ... it'll stop them filling the space up and provide insulation.

mmm, could cause some serious condensation though!

 

[Haughton Honey]

If it's left unwrapped on frames above the brood nest it will melt.....pretty quickly....and make quite a mess as well as potentially 'gum up' brood.

Best kept on top of the CB within a 2" or 3" eke.

All IMHO of course. Usual caveats etc etc blah blah.

 

[whoosling]

I was told to put fondant on top of bees then a super then crown board I shall go and change my super for an eke

 

[Sir Quej]

mmm, could cause some serious condensation though!

You shouldnt have an issue with condensation if you have good ventilation and insulation

 

[richardbees]

I 'generously' wrap a 1kg chunk in cling film and press it down over the ffed hole in crownboard, after cutting a 2" slit in the wrap. 'Generously' because they then manage to keep the wrap coccoon intact as they use the fondant - thus stopping any heat loss.

 

[dpearce4]

I made mine then once it had started to cool i put it in clingflim lined tesco plastic 750g mushroom trays, I found each one can hold 2.5kg and they fit over the feed hole plus they then dont have an air gap bigger than the tray. As they eat it down you can just take the tub off, remove the clingfilm, cut a new one open the place that one ontop, so no disterbance of the bees. Also means i dont just bin those damn plastic trays, I have lots made in advance and just pop them in the boot of the car as i go up and bring them back home if not needed.

 

[Moggs]

Putting an uninsulated super on top of a deep box of brood is certainly not advisable now that winter is upon us, food or no food.

 

[blackcavebees]

Putting an uninsulated super on top of a deep box of brood is certainly not advisable now that winter is upon us, food or no food.

I agree. If you make any of your kit, I have been making extra crown boards (no holes!) with standard lip one side and deeper lip on other. Means I can use as an inner cover one way, or when I have a feeding board on a bag of fondant over hole with second deeper (1") crown board above then insulated roof. Less space to get cold.

I also spend my winters telling the kids to shut the door to keep the heat in

 

[itma]

Could perhaps have used an eke rather than a super?

Really easy project to make an eke or two. B&Q strip wood (about 45mm x 10mm?) Wood glue. Some (8?) screws or nails. I used a plastic QX as a square template of the correct size to make assembly even easier.
Something like one is needed for Apiguard treatment. Useful for fondant. Or insulation. Everyone should have a few ...

 

[SunnyRaes]

Logic would tell me the same, but this is where the problem arises of so many different and conflicting references. In this case I think the beek has slavishly conformed to what she's been instructed or read and not applied logic (and not asked).

Whats more important? Food or heat? On the basis that I would have expected them to have sufficient food (or I'd have expected us to have left them with sufficient food!) then heat is obviously most important and fondant can wait. Maybe I'm wrong though - I've never been told anything!

I guess we might end up 1 hive down then, but will be interesting to see!

I'll look at making some ekes. We bought some National to 14/12 converters which I'm sure would have done the job if I'd made them up already!