For Redwood

[oliver90owner]

For all beekeepers who have a solid crown board with no holes, how do you feed fondant in the winter

I would be rather surprised if anyone with a 14 x 12 , well-stocked with stores in the autumn, ever needs to feed during the winter months. Maybe need some for spring expansion?

Do others who run 14 x 12s feed fondant in the winter?

I don't, so a solid crown board is the ideal way to go . In fact, with no lip required on the crown board, mine are even better suited for close contact with a sheet of insulation. Foofs are dry all winter.

RAB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and there's nothing worse than a dry foof

 

[youngyoungs]

My experience over the last couple of winters with a few colonies, all on 14x12.

I have added fondant, over a crown board with a hole. I've put it on when I open the hives to treat for varroa in mid winter. I haven't added extra insulation to any of my hives which are a mix of poly and wood so can't comment on whether that makes a difference to fondant consumption.

It's usually only at the very end of the winter that the bees have actually started to take it, supporting RABs assertion that a hive on 14x12 doesn't need extra fondant.

This year I have more colonies and a number of solid crown boards , so maybe I'll have the courage of my convictions and not feed..........

 

[REDWOOD]

I agree 14x12 don't need much feeding if any but I try to get a bit of thymol syrup in the hive even if it means removing some of their ivy stores

 

[oliver90owner]

I try to get a bit of thymol syrup in the hive even if it means removing some of their ivy stores

Do you feed fondant with thymol?

RAB

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I tend to put some fondant on my 14x12s January-ish, more from a better safe than sorry viewpoint - not 100% convinced in my hefting abilities. They do normally consume it but that may be just greed, not convinced its absolutely necessary.

Will put on some Neopoll February-ish to give them a kick-start in getting ready for the OSR. If both Neopoll and the fondant are in the same container they will wolf down the Neopoll in preference.

 

[REDWOOD]

I try to get a bit of thymol syrup in the hive even if it means removing some of their ivy stores

Do you feed fondant with thymol?

RAB

No but I use contact feeders.

 

[REDWOOD]

I do feed 14x12 nucs fondant all winter if needed through the hole in the crown board

 

[oliver90owner]

If I were feeding in the autumn, I would use a feeder board. Then settle them down with a solid crownboard afterwards or maybe just fill in the hole if they had propolised the board ready for winter.

It was your reference to feeding fondant during the winter that surprised me. I am far more likely to be removing stores in the spring than needing to feed them.

RAB

 

[REDWOOD]

If I were feeding in the autumn, I would use a feeder board. Then settle them down with a solid crownboard afterwards or maybe just fill in the hole if they had propolised the board ready for winter.

It was your reference to feeding fondant during the winter that surprised me. I am far more likely to be removing stores in the spring than needing to feed them.

RAB

Ha Got it now, in my first statement I was generally speaking for those not using the 12x14 format although I have put fondant on in the winter just to see so to speak and it is never touched by the bees and thrown away so now I don't bother buying it i just make small amounts for nucs

 

[MuswellMetro]

I have mainly solid crown boards and dont feed fondant in winter but always watch the hive weights in late February/March but rarely if ever do i need to feed ,

in most year it is the reverse and i have to manipulate the stores in brood box either by bruising on cedar hives or spinning out 14x12 frames on 14x12 polyhives

on OSR located hives or hives that show the bees are trapped on one side I feed a pancake of neopol under the crown board in february and Water/5%sugar by a front bottle feeder

Finman says I feed pollen too early but my OSR feilds were in flower 3rd week of March this year

 

[mbc]

and there's nothing worse than a dry foof

 

[fatshark]

My solid (Perspex) crown boards are reversible, with a ~50mm eke on one side only. Usually the eke is on top, with the space packed with Kingspan. If they need fondant I invert the crownboard and put a slab underneath, with the Kingspan on top under the roof.