A lot of questions and a lot of variables in that post, and it also brings a question about how you are feeding the fondant.
The correct way to feed fondant is in such a way that the actual water released by the bees themselves, rising in the warmer air from the cluster, both condenses on, and is hygroscopically absorbed by, the working face (the bit the bees are at) of the fondant. This gives adequate water on its own. Fondant can be fed 'open', as in not covered by polythene, in the active months as the taking of it will be faster than the drying out will be, but in winter it must have a water vapour proof layer above, and preferably all round apart from the access cut on the underside, to keep it moist. Bees happily eat properly administered fondant all winter, even when water collection is impossible.
Bees carrying a lot of water is often an indication that they are reconstituting their own stores.
Time to feed? Well you are in the south and you are always about 3 weeks ahead of us, and our own bees, where it is available, have been taking down syrup for the last few days. We can still get some cold spells yet when they will not go for syrup, so it depends in a way just how desperate your bees are. If they are in an actual immediate food crisis and there is a risk of a cold snap then more fondant directly on top of the cluster is the way to go. If not a dire emergency then syrup will propbably be OK, as we are into March and any snaps from now on will probably be short. If you are worried about the cold syrup in a frame feeder then administer it warm. Either way it will soon be at the ambient temperature of the position in the hive anyway.
Any advice I can give on frame feeders must be taken with the understanding that we never use them anyway.
Also, they WILL eat properly applied fondant to raise brood in colder spells once they are looking to start building up. Pollen is actually more critical, but you seem to have that covered. Saw bees on Sunday during our spring conference that ONLY get fondant feeding ever, and were well into active build up. The fondant was bagged, in direct contact on the top bars, and most crucially with plenty overhead insulation. In parts of Scandinavia fondant is routinely fed for brood rearing purposes during summer dearths.
Hi ITLD,
Thank you for your very full and informative answers as always. How desperate are my bees? Well, that's what I would like to know. They have no stores left in comb, two sides of capped brood circumferences roughly size of a large orange. Fondant situation as per your instructions.
'Bees carrying a lot of water is often an indication that they are reconstituting their own stores.' Well, they have got none. So, they must be reconstituting the fondant? Some people say they store fondant, but the jury is out on that one. What's your view on this? It makes sense from my observations in the hive.
Apparently, Royal Jelly contains up to 70% water and all young larvae gets that for three days, so that's a lot of water. Beebread contains 14-17%. Fondant has 10-15% water. If I don't feed 1:1 syrup then they have to rely on the hive for the water? Silly question, but if it's already in there why do they go out for it? Syrup would be in a frame feeder.
Forcast temps for next 16 days as follows: 13, 11, 12, 7, 1, 1, 5, 7, 7, 6, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 - below average for March. Don't know how accurate that is.
They have been out since eight this morning collecting water and large pollen baskets going in. I did not see any eggs or larvae when I inspected (but tried to be quick), so are they building up for another brood cycle. Can they afford an aborted brood cycle with the energy spent/or will they be ok without the 1:1. Actually, if I put warm 1:1 in the hive they will have finished it before the forecast cold weather.
Second, hive I inspected had rearranged their stores top arcs gone all stores along one side. What's going on there then? No pollen/no brood. Not been out as much as other hives, QS. I forecast ornamental cherry and the like a week away. Heyho
