Mini nucs not using fondant but preferring to collect nectar to draw comb.

[Curly green finger's]

Evening I have two 6 frame ( home made) mini nucs which were made up with virgin queens almost a week ago, the frames are the same size as the mini kieler boxes and they had three frames each of comb and three with strips added.
When made up bees were covering 4 frames so bigger than the normal apideas or kieler boxes and feeders were filled with fondant but they aren’t using the fondant, they have been foraging like mad and using nectar to build comb instead of the fondant.
Both of these mini nucs were only closed in for 24hrs after introducing the virgins and have been moved 40 miles from the original site where they were prepared from bees collected from the supers of two colonies.

I did notice that some of the bees when I was shaking them into the clear container had pollen on there legs, is it the case that these two mini nucs have quite a few foraging bees? but up in the supers?

Your thoughts folks.

 

[tombo]

Hello.

The Bees generally won't use fondant to draw combs. Instead they'll just consume it.

Sugar water 1/1 or 2/1 is better to use for building up comb.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The Bees generally won't use fondant to draw combs.

and yet many queen rearers use nothing else but fondant in their nucs - Hivemaker mentioned more than once that he gave fondant, not only for feeding but also comb building.
Used fondant myself for comb building in Kielers.

 

[tombo]

and yet many queen rearers use nothing else but fondant in their nucs - Hivemaker mentioned more than once that he gave fondant, not only for feeding but also comb building.
Used fondant myself for comb building in Kielers.

Crazy.

Just from my own experience. When I 1st received a Nuc awhile back I fed fondant. No foundation was ever drawn. Not until I fed 1.1 did the Bees then draw frame.

If there's nectar available im assuming they would much rather use that than the fondant. But then Bees seem to use Nectar even before 1.1

 

[JamezF]

Just from my own experience. When I 1st received a Nuc awhile back I fed fondant. No foundation was ever drawn. Not until I fed 1.1 did the Bees then draw frame.

There could be many reasons for that however. Just because they didn't draw comb on that occasion doesn't mean they won't ever use it to draw comb. It's possibly more indicative that the needs of the colony were better served by alternative means at that specific time.

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

and yet many queen rearers use nothing else but fondant in their nucs - Hivemaker mentioned more than once that he gave fondant, not only for feeding but also comb building.
Used fondant myself for comb building in Kielers.

I’ve only ever used fondant with no issues

 

[SWEET]

Using fondant to build comb in many Apideas - this is how they become established (syrup would be a nightmare)