Wrong kind of Fondant?

[Colinkemp]

I have a weakish hive that is quite light. I have put some Tesco fondant over the brood box which I can observe with a transparent crown board. They are not at all interested in the fondant. I can see the cluster which looks healthy with an occassional bee flying in the mild weather.
Should I expect the cluster to take the fondant, or should I try another type, possibly pollen augmented?

 

[enrico]

Is it directly in top of the frames?
E

 

[Colinkemp]

Yes, very near to the top of the cluster.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's not fondant you're using, it's fondant icing, full of goodness knows what.
Forget the pollen augmented and all that snakeoil, find a local independent baker and ask them to sell you a few kilos of bog standard baker's fondant.

 

[Millet]

I have real fondant on my few hives..some are nibbling away at it and some are not..
From personal viewing and experience..if the little darlings have a bit of weight (hefting) helps..the fondant is left till a last resort..

 

[madasafish]

If you look at the list of ingredients in supermarket fondant, no self respecting bee will eat it..

 

[enrico]

Both the above are right.i buy a 12.5 kg box from the local bakers at about £15. Doesn't go off. If the bees don't need it they may not use it. Two of my five hives go through it like wildfire and may be storing it. The other three haven't touched it. Had to use it this year because it is such a wet cold Spring!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Had to use it this year because it is such a wet cold Spring!
E

Have I slept through a month or something?
It's still winter as far as I can see (weather and calendar wise)

 

[Curly green finger's]

Have I slept through a month or something?
It's still winter as far as I can see (weather and calendar wise)

I was thinking that but where I'm sat looking down from the summit I can see yellow fields appearing... It could be the sun shining on them mind!

 

[enrico]

Have I slept through a month or something?
It's still winter as far as I can see (weather and calendar wise)

All our spring flowers and shrubs out. The flowers tell me it's spring. ....and we are further south!
E

 

[Colinkemp]

Thanks all, it's off to find a baker tomorrow!

 

[Courty]

Make your own fondant

http://edinburghbeekeepers.org.uk/downloads/Fondant-Recipe.pdf

I made my own courtesy of instructions from the above link, simple to
Make, put it in ziplock bags over the holes in my Abelo crown Board.
Probably easier to buy it from a baker’s though, but where’s the fun in that?

Courty

 

[Colinkemp]

Thanks all, off to find a baker.

 

[Colinkemp]

Well I put some baker's fondant on and it has all been taken up. Put more on today, the Tesco fondant icing is still there untouched.