ran out of fondant.

[biglongdarren]

my three hives are going through fondant like mad and i have ran out,i will go in the morning and heft them to see are they heavy,if they are heavy should i just leave them and hope they start eating the ivy honey stores?..and if they are light,could i pop a soaked bag of sugar in to keep them going?
Darren

 

[BKF Admin]

I would heft and if they have stores lift a couple of frames with and bruiise the cappings.

If light then yes a bag of sugar is better than nothing.
Dont forget to trickle a little sugar through the feedhole as they cant smell it to find it.

 

[biglongdarren]

is it okay then to lft the crownboard and do this tio the stores at this time of year,would a need to bruise all the frames with stores?

 

[winmag270]

make sure the temp is above 10 deg C, as lifting frames etc will take more than a few seconds.....

would it not be easier to make buy some fresh fondant if you'd prefer the bees to use that rather than ivy stores??

 

[biglongdarren]

i can only buy the fondant in a 12.5kg box,if i dont use it all will it keep to next winter?...whats the difference between fondant and using a damp bag of sugar?

 

[BKF Admin]

is it okay then to lft the crownboard and do this tio the stores at this time of year,would a need to bruise all the frames with stores?

No its not ok but if they are starving then you have no choice.

The temp should always be above 10c to inspect but if desperate as a last measure then pull a frame the cluster/bees are on and bruise as quick as you can.

 

[bobandbec]

I keep bakers fondant from one Winter to the next. Make sure it is wrapped up so it can't dry out. If you're more at ease with giving another fondant I'd definitely go down that route.

Peter

Personally I'd do this in preference to taking frames out at this point.

 

[jezd]

buy some fondant, as above and then save it for a year - cost pennies and leave brood/frames alone

far too many post of ppl getting impatient for whatever reason

I think

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

OR try making some - not tried it myself but doesnt sound that hard

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7875

 

[Otleybee]

It is not that hard to make. After a few unsuccessful attempts I would recommend a sugar thermometer and boiling for a few minutes at soft boil. My first few attempts I did not boil it long enough and it did not set.

 

[oliver90owner]

It is almost the middle of March. Feed 1:1 syrup (or even weaker) and be done with it.

Can't see the point in messing round with fondant now. Well, not here anyway.

The 'nectar' substitute would enable them to asssimilate ivy stores, if not encourage brooding.

RAB

 

[biglongdarren]

i thought for myself this morning and had just mixed up some syrup before logging on here....looks like am starting to learn RAB ;o0)

 

[greatbritishhoney]

It is almost the middle of March. Feed 1:1 syrup (or even weaker) and be done with it.

RAB

 

[jezd]

its actually 8th March snow forcast for northern areas, min -3'c last night and max today 5'c in shade (ok bees are out and its warm in sun) - I would wait for syrup unless you have several hundred hives to give through