Leaking Fondant

[B Special]

The Bees where out for the first time in ages today. Great to see. Very mild here up in Dundrod during the afternoon and then the temp just drops and drops. However, I checked my one and only hive. Had put some Fondant on a while back and on the last inspection some of it appears to have melted or gone real soft and has dripped down into the brood box and down through the mesh underneath and onto the ground. Should I remove this ?

 

[Hawklord]

Try to remove any that has gone onto the ground, you don't want to be attracting any mice, ants or anything else that might turn it's attentions to the hive.

 

[pargyle]

The Bees where out for the first time in ages today. Great to see. Very mild here up in Dundrod during the afternoon and then the temp just drops and drops. However, I checked my one and only hive. Had put some Fondant on a while back and on the last inspection some of it appears to have melted or gone real soft and has dripped down into the brood box and down through the mesh underneath and onto the ground. Should I remove this ?

Sounds like you didn't have it sealed in a cling film wrap or in a poly bag with slashes in them or in an inverted tub ... usual methods of feeding fondant ... I suspect that the temperature fluctuations have led to an excess of moisture in the hive and it is this that has resulted in the fondant 'melting'.

What sort of hive have you got and how is it configured ? Insulation etc.

 

[B Special]

Thanks folks. It's a WBC. Several layers of cut sections of carpet is my insulation !! The fondant is in a plastic container. The way I have applied it and the changing temperatures I guess are the reasons for the mess. A beginner learning the hard way

 

[pargyle]

A beginner learning the hard way

Well ... you won't get any criticism from me !

Carpet is not great as insulation although it was used historically for many years in the absence of more modern insulation materials. You might consider investing a fiver in a bit of Celotex/Kingspan from your local builders merchants to replace the carpet layers which tend to retain moisture ... even in the closed environment of the WBC they can wick up atmospheric moisture.

You won't have done any harm to the bees - they will clean up any dribbles of fondant on the frames but I would echo the comments above about cleaning up any residue under the hive to detract rodents etc. from getting interested.

 

[REDWOOD]

Great picture

 

[Little John]

Sounds like you didn't have it sealed in a cling film wrap or in a poly bag with slashes in them or in an inverted tub ... usual methods of feeding fondant ... I suspect that the temperature fluctuations have led to an excess of moisture in the hive and it is this that has resulted in the fondant 'melting'.

The usual reason given for wrapping the fondant (or the fondant's container) in cling-film is to prevent it from drying-out. That may indeed be true - but the slashed film also prevents the absorption of moisture as mentioned above.

Many of us have discovered this snafu the hard way - or rather the very droopy and gooey way.

LJ

 

[B Special]

I hope they don't like fondant. They miss nothing.

 

[pargyle]

I hope they don't like fondant. They miss nothing.

Nice place for your apiary .... and plenty of space ready for Hive No. 2 this year .... or three or four ....

 

[BeeJayBee]

Carpet ... tend to retain moisture ... even in the closed environment of the WBC ....

You won't have done any harm to the bees - they will clean up any dribbles of fondant on the frames but I would echo the comments above about cleaning up any residue under the hive to detract rodents etc. from getting interested.

If you put the carpet inside a plastic bag you'll stop it absorbing moisture, and it could be that moisture which has made your fondant go runny.

 

[B Special]

If you put the carpet inside a plastic bag you'll stop it absorbing moisture, and it could be that moisture which has made your fondant go runny.

Love it.