When to feed?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hmmm - water needed to thin down the fondant a little or bees having to work hard reducing the water content of syrup - six of one.... really.
A few years ago one of my colonies for some reason would not take down syrup, knowing they were light and that time was dragging on I slapped some fondant on just in case - they took down seven or eight kilos in short order and were still picking away at it afterwards. It came through the winter as one of my strongest and most productive colonies, and still is - the queen finally being superseded this August. Not very scientific but................... I know a few beeks who use fondant and nothing else

 

[Hivemaker.]

no experience, My opinion

Thank you.

 

[snelgrove]

Hmmm - water needed to thin down the fondant a little or bees having to work hard reducing the water content of syrup - six of one.... really.
A few years ago one of my colonies for some reason would not take down syrup, knowing they were light and that time was dragging on I slapped some fondant on just in case - they took down seven or eight kilos in short order and were still picking away at it afterwards. It came through the winter as one of my strongest and most productive colonies, and still is - the queen finally being superseded this August. Not very scientific but................... I know a few beeks who use fondant and nothing else

Having to thin down the fondant a little, really,

 

[Hivemaker.]

Having to thin down the fondant a little, really,

Very little water needed to bring it to a similar moisture content as most honey, possibly enough water to be found within the hive during winter due to respiration, certainly less work needed than that of having to remove moisture from normal sugar syrup.

sugar 74.5% ± 0.5%, glucose solids 14.5% ± 0.5%, water 11.0% ± 0.5%.

http://www.stratfordbeekeepers.org.uk/PENotes/FondantSpecification.htm

 

[snelgrove]

Thank you.

And thank you

 

[snelgrove]

Very little water needed to bring it to a similar moisture content as most honey, possibly enough water to be found within the hive during winter due to respiration, certainly less work needed than that of having to remove moisture from normal sugar syrup.



http://www.stratfordbeekeepers.org.uk/PENotes/FondantSpecification.htm

will take it on board

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I ain't a scientist mate

nice change - quite a few on here who think they are

 

[Honeybeeco]

When the bees need it, we find fondant so much easier for both us and the bees to use at anytime of the year. If they need it, we give them a slab, and it's quick, easy and less messy for us both.

We always have plenty of 12.5kg slabs of it in our sheds so we are well prepared.

That said, My grandfather has also been known to place a 1lb bag of sugar on the cover board before now as well in the past. If possible, he would cut a circle in the bag, pour some water in to make it a little solid and then turn it upside down so the hard sugar was over the hole in the crown board. Water/ moisture from the bees then use to keeps it hard if I remember right. This can be messy but if they need feeding, anything like this is better than now't

That's is all me own opinion

 

[beebot]

nice change - quite a few on here who think they are [/QUOTE.]

Yes and some think they know everything.

 

[beebot]

Don't put it on until they feel light on their stores, and next time don't waste your cash on nothing more than a fancy name - just buy a slab of baker's fondant

Problem for a beginner is how light is light - they have no reference point. I am still finding I end up with too much stores left in the spring. Hope to get it right this time.

 

[Millet]

I never said don't use sugar syrup, neither did i say it was best, sugar syrup is good, i use it, but that does not necessarily make it best above other feeds like fondant, also with several other advantages, or even honey kept to feed back to their bees by some beekeepers.




Take a look at this....http://www.stratfordbeekeepers.org.uk/PENotes/Fondant.htm

I notice the fondant is above the Queen Excluder in them pictures, is that advisable. ? .

 

[Hivemaker.]

I notice the fondant is above the Queen Excluder in them pictures, is that advisable. ? .

Yes, for two reasons.

 

[Millet]

So from now on whoever says remove the Queen Excluder during the winter months are wrong.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So from now on whoever says remove the Queen Excluder during the winter months are wrong.

no - there's a difference between having a QX between the brood box and a super full of stores and just between the bees and fondant.
When you have a super above the cluster, the cluster as a whole (Queen included) needs to move up into that box and stay on those stores filled combs to feed - it moves to keep in contact with the food - if there is a queen excluder in the way, the cluster may move up to the stores and the queen gets left behind in the lower box and will chill/starve although the usual thing that happens is that the cluster won't abandon the queen and they will sit there and starve within inches of a whole box of stores: either way, come spring you have a dead colony
With fondant, you just put it directly above the cluster and bees will go up into it and bring the food back to the cluster - you really don't want the queen to get stuck into that.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

So from now on whoever says remove the Queen Excluder during the winter months are wrong.

There are no hard and fast rules in beekeeping. You have to read your colony and act accordingly. Some you win, some you lose.

 

[REDWOOD]

So from now on whoever says remove the Queen Excluder during the winter months are wrong.

It's a feeder area not a super

 

[Millet]

no - there's a difference between having a QX between the brood box and a super full of stores and just between the bees and fondant.
When you have a super above the cluster, the cluster as a whole (Queen included) needs to move up into that box and stay on those stores filled combs to feed - it moves to keep in contact with the food - if there is a queen excluder in the way, the cluster may move up to the stores and the queen gets left behind in the lower box and will chill/starve although the usual thing that happens is that the cluster won't abandon the queen and they will sit there and starve within inches of a whole box of stores: either way, come spring you have a dead colony
With fondant, you just put it directly above the cluster and bees will go up into it and bring the food back to the cluster - you really don't want the queen to get stuck into that.

That is what i have read Jenky and seen done on various video clips, the Queen Excluder on for winter went against what i have learned upto now, but thanks to you it is clear why it was left on in this situation.

 

[sbisme]

That is what i have read Jenky and seen done on various video clips, the Queen Excluder on for winter went against what i have learned upto now, but thanks to you it is clear why it was left on in this situation.

My understanding with my limited knowledge is if the QE is above the top box either brood or super box then that is ok if the QX is between boxes then it's a no no during winter due to reasons above ref isolation starvation or leaving the queen to get chilled.

 

[BeeJayBee]

So from now on whoever says remove the Queen Excluder during the winter months are wrong.

As the others have said, no, not if the queen excluder is between the brood box and a super of stores. But then I know some beekeepers who've always left their queen excluder in place, and a half empty super above. Maybe they've been lucky?

I leave my queen excluders on top of the brood box all year round because I know where they are and I like to think it saves a tiny bit of space in the shed or car.

I put fondant above the queen excluder because it's easier to pull it away from the qe in the spring than to pull it off the top bars. Some people put fondant above a feeder board, leaving the bees only a small hole for access.