Wintering.

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When I bought full size insulation boards, I took a pencil,steel rule, tape measure and saw. Marked out the 2400 * 1200mm board into 4 and cut it in the car park. It then fitted in car...

easy enough to cut with a saw - even a blunt one!

 

[Cyfareddol]

https://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/hive-care-feeding/10071-125kg-fondant-block.html
Surely much cheaper, and the same underlying stuff? Will SB not deliver to you?

Erichalfbee's link is even cheaper and I intend to give them a try.

Does this fondant contain vegetable oils and preservatives?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Does this fondant contain vegetable oils and preservatives?

read what it says
" 100% Bakers fondant consisting of Sugar, Glucose Syrup and Water"
it's just bog standard baker's fondant (probably made in Belgium) which has no preservatives, oils or magic fairy dust

 

[StephenT]

Does this fondant contain vegetable oils and preservatives?

Bought some the other week. Careful how much you put on in one go as they take it down quickly. I put about 4kg on one of my hives and they demolished most of it within a week. Too much too early in retrospect and may have to make some brood space for them at the weekend.

 

[bobthecob]

Does this fondant contain vegetable oils and preservatives?

I can only quote Peter Edwards as follows:

"I telephoned my supplier of Bakers' Fondant (used by many large-scale beekeepers in the UK) to establish the technical specifications and method of production. They tell me that the fondant consists of: sugar 74.5% ± 0.5%, glucose solids 14.5% ± 0.5%, water 11.0% ± 0.5%. The ingredients are heated just to boiling point (approx 221°F) and are then stirred in a creamer until cool."

 

[fiat500bee]

When I bought full size insulation boards, I took a pencil,steel rule, tape measure and saw. Marked out the 2400 x 1200mm board into 4 and cut it in the car park. It then fitted in car...

Great idea. When I was in there just now the 2400 x 1200 boards are £39; the 1200 x 450 boards are £6.40. So it was actually cheaper with 4 of the smaller ones. I think there's a technical difference in the board material in the bigger ones. Looking at my receipt I only got charged for three; I'll go back and "fess-up.

 

[Arfermo]

I had a computer supply company way back around the 1990’s - actually got a genuine order for software from someone living in Timbuktu - firstly I didn’t know it was still a going ‘place’ and secondly it’s only through reading this forum I’ve realised it’s in the Highlands of Scotland ....... who knew

Surfing the internet is such fun. I wanted to keep our old Dyson DCO3 Motorhead hoover on the road and tried to find somebody who could 3D a plastic part for me. Got an offer from China but they wanted the Dyson manufacturing drawings. Fat hope. Eventually had an offer from somebody within 30 miles away who made several of the part I needed with different sized holes to house the bronze bearing in case the first one didn't work or failed. Charged a very demanding £5 - so sent him £15 and think I got a bargain - as compared with the new equivalent machine at £399. Amazing. Have had another part done by him since too. Spent another absolute fortune of £10. My Dyson still going very well indeed.

 

[Speybee]

I had a computer supply company way back around the 1990’s - actually got a genuine order for software from someone living in Timbuktu - firstly I didn’t know it was still a going ‘place’ and secondly it’s only through reading this forum I’ve realised it’s in the Highlands of Scotland ....... who knew

Yes it’s near Tormore distillery

 

[beeno]

My hives are wintering all by themselves. Clearing the last super of honey and bringing it down into the brood box. Any leftovers are put onto my nucs together with some emerging brood. So my production colonies are being treated with MAQS tomorrow and the remainder in two to three days with oxalic acid.

 

[Arfermo]

I've had a pack of unused MAQS costing £21.40 sitting in our chest freezer at -20C since July 2013. Apiguard and oxalic at Xmas is my preference so free to anybody paying the postage. Or swap for new Dyson Animal xxx that can suck the cat and its hairs up it's flue with due alacrity (see my other posts). Amazing offer not to be sniffed at - first come first served.

 

[Beegarden]

Going back to boxes and wintering, could someone confirm when the QE should be removed between brood and super/2nd brood used as super, please? Would it be temperature or time dependent? Thank you.

 

[Swarm]

If you don't intend to take any more honey, remove it.

 

[Beegarden]

Thank you, Steve. I've taken off the honey to feed, as the brood box (in both hives) was short of stores. They are still busy but the sugar water is now mixed with nectar. I'll dive in and remove them. Cheers.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They tell me that the fondant consists of: sugar 74.5% ± 0.5%, glucose solids 14.5% ± 0.5%, water 11.0% ± 0.5%. The ingredients are heated just to boiling point (approx 221°F) and are then stirred in a creamer until cool."

Not any more - it's just powdered sugar, water and glucose syrup stirred ('homogenised') into a paste, no heating thus little chance of HMF buildup.