Fondant

[user 3509]

simple question. When feeding fondant do you put the block straight on top of the frames or above a crown board with holes?

 

[elthambees]

fondant

above crown board, wrap in cling film works for me

 

[Erichalfbee]

Either....sorry.
Above a feeder board is tidier...less messy with the residue, and you don't have to open the box.
On the top bars is more accessible for the bees so if they need it urgently it's the best place to put it.

 

[REDWOOD]

If I need to feed I use an inverted disposable take-away food container with a 2 inch hole in the middle over the feeder board, some people place a small eke on top of the BB and roll out a thick slab of fondant, and some put a whole block straight on top.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Someone told me they don't store fondant just burn as energy is this right ...?

 

[Bee Bumble]

Either direct on top of the frames or on a queen excluder so it can be easily removed. Must be well wrapped in plastic (to stop it from drying out and going hard), with a few slits underneath for the bees to gain access. Ambrosia is much better than bakers fondant - stays soft and moist much longer and already wrapped.
I put a 2'' thick sheet of PU foam above the fondant so as the bees eat the fondant, the space above the frames closes and heat is retained.

 

[Goran]

simple question. When feeding fondant do you put the block straight on top of the frames or above a crown board with holes?

Over here in winter on top bars, nylon cut in stripes from below and slap on bars. In season no matter on bars and cut in stripes above, in feeder, whatever.
But our fondants are usually 1-1,5kg.

 

[For want of a better word]

Someone told me they don't store fondant just burn as energy is this right ...?

They took all of the pollen out of some Candipoll and stored that... I don't know... but that is what the books say!!

Yeghes da

 

[oliver90owner]

Someone told me they don't store fondant just burn as energy is this right ...?

No. But think about it. Before clustering, they will ADD water to it and store. After clustering, no point in doing anything other than metabolise it.

I suggest you quietly inform your 'someone' that they need to check, or understand, their facts before passing them on to new beeks.

 

[itma]

simple question. When feeding fondant do you put the block straight on top of the frames or above a crown board with holes?

Aaah, but the question is feeding fondant when?

I only use fondant if a hive is getting light as winter drags on. And I put it on the topbars inside an eke, and crossing all the frames - so some is above every 'seam' that might have bees, and thus most easily accessible to the unbroken cluster.

But if I were to feed fondant in the Autumn (I wouldn't), then if I did it that way, they'd probably build comb in the eke-space...

 

[peteinwilts]

If required, I feed fondant to smaller hives if the wasp activity is bad.

If required, good for an end of winter top up if spring drags on.

Others feed it in autumn because it is easy, but not me...

 

[oliver90owner]

If required, good for an end of winter top up if spring drags on.

Except, by then, 1:1 sugar syrup would almost certainly be a better option at that time - as they would be brooding by then.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Except, by then, 1:1 sugar syrup would almost certainly be a better option at that time - as they would be brooding by then.

I agree, much more beneficial to feed them thin syrup as an end of winter top up, and some do because it is easy, but I don't.

 

[midnight sun]

Someone told me they don't store fondant just burn as energy is this right ...?

No. I've seen fondant actually stored in cells in one of my brood boxes. They may dilute and use straight away with most of it but not all from my observations.