Fondant

[MikeT]

Attended the Local Assoc. Oxalic acid application Demo on Saturday, Found very useful as I have not kept bees before when varroa treatments were essential. I forgot to ask the question should I give my bees fondant at the Oxalic treatment if the hive is heavy with stores or wait until they are lighter. I am planning to do the Oxalic treatment on Boxing Day.

I will use my automatic sheep injector to administer the 5 ml/line. This will make the operation far quicker and prevent any over dosing.

Mike

 

[Pete D]

Hi mike, if the hive is heavy with stores then no need for fondant at all. It's an emergency winter feed although some give it as a 'treat' regardless of stores level, others just to belt and braces the stores level.
Do what you feel happiest doing.
Glad you found the afternoon useful. Have you booked on the BIBBA day at end of February.
Good luck

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Attended the Local Assoc. Oxalic acid application Demo on Saturday, Found very useful as I have not kept bees before when varroa treatments were essential. I forgot to ask the question should I give my bees fondant at the Oxalic treatment if the hive is heavy with stores or wait until they are lighter. I am planning to do the Oxalic treatment on Boxing Day.

I will use my automatic sheep injector to administer the 5 ml/line. This will make the operation far quicker and prevent any over dosing.

Mike

Trickle2 is my choice. No chance of accidentally overdosing plus manual personal control of dispensation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I will use my automatic sheep injector

In Wales - that's the last thing you take anywhere near a colony of bees

 

[Hachi]

In Wales - that's the last thing you take anywhere near a colony of bees

Cor blimey I bet it would hurt like hell

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

as long as they can take away the pain.........................

 

[Arfermo]

In Wales - that's the last thing you take anywhere near a colony of bees

But then you have dodgy sheep in Wales anyway - nobody owns them until you knock one over on the road and everybody claims ownership. Baaaaaah!!!!

 

[peteinwilts]

Attended the Local Assoc. Oxalic acid application Demo on Saturday, Found very useful as I have not kept bees before when varroa treatments were essential. I forgot to ask the question should I give my bees fondant at the Oxalic treatment if the hive is heavy with stores or wait until they are lighter. I am planning to do the Oxalic treatment on Boxing Day.

I will use my automatic sheep injector to administer the 5 ml/line. This will make the operation far quicker and prevent any over dosing.

Mike

As per other answers, I have a couple of (turned off) freezers full of fondant 'just in case'
Other than NUC's, in the last 5 years, I have only needed to give it to a couple of hives when they were getting short. I heft at Oxalic time, and decide whether they will need it. I then perform another heft in late February.

I use Oxalic, and try to aim around New Years day. However, I would not be surprised if they are still brooding in good numbers in this balmy weather, and the bees should be clustered when applying the Oxalic.

The conditions are more important than the date. I have waited until late January a couple of times until the conditions have been right.
I prefer a crisp morning with no wind, after at least a week of so of cold temperatures. I think it is meant to reach 14°C in this area today!

 

[MikeT]

13oC here today bees flying. Hopefully we will get some cold weather for Oxalic treatment.

In reply to

"In Wales - that's the last thing you take anywhere near a colony of bees"

I am anticipating injecting each bee with the automatic injector but have not yet calculated the individual dose, so I can see why Welsh bees are worried. Do I rely have to inject each bee?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do I rely have to inject each bee?

No, don't be silly - only the female ones