Neils

Fondant Fancy

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After the rather balmy weather of autumn and some neglect on my part I figure I should do a quick check of all the hives and make sure they were well stocked with fondant. So far, touch wood, the three hives and two nucs all seem to contain bees though a couple were decidedly light after giving them a heft so I'm glad I've got the fondant on.

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  1. Jon's Avatar
    The mild autumn this year has left a lot of colonies light as the bees were rearing brood right through November.
    I'll be treating with Oxalic within a fortnight and will top up with fondant if necessary at that point.
  2. marion.orca's Avatar
    This maybe a silly question and I think I even may have touched upon it before. Should I have a fondant block on to see the bees through the winter ? They were well fed in the autumn and took as much 2:1 syrup as they wanted before I insulated the roof and " closed up " for the winter. It's my first winter with a hive so I may have been over cautious in my winter preparations - brood box and stand ratchet strapped together and the whole lot ratchet strapped to 2 metal stakes hammered into the ground. But, given the weather we've had - I'm glad I did all that, as they have remained exactly as I left them in November - thank goodness !
  3. gavin's Avatar
    Not at all a silly question, and indeed no question in beekeeping from a relative beginner is silly anyway. If you fed them well (a few gallons?) then they should have been heavy with stores. OK, they will have used some of them, but it is unlikely that they have eaten them all already. Best have a quick peek under the crown board on a reasonable day. If the bees are all at the tops of the frames then they may be short of food. Even then, if the adjoining frames are full of stores all may be well but at this time of year it is a sign that they will need fed. If they are lower down with stores above them, they're fine for now. If they are on seemingly empty frames with empty frames around them, stick some food over their heads (fondant or even soaked perforated bags of sugar).

    Weaker clusters find it harder to get to more distant stores. Any cluster will be starting to ramp up brood production in a month or so, and that is when their need for food increases.

    Try lifting the hive from the back, tipping it up slightly. If you are gentle you will not disturb them. If the weight doesn't mean much to you now it will after you have a peek in, and later as they get lighter you will notice the difference. After a while that experience will be very useful.
  4. marion.orca's Avatar
    Thanks for that advice Gavin. I think we have a better [ slightly ] forecast for next week, so I will head out to check them over and put some fondant on if I think they need it.
  5. Neils's Avatar
    Agree with Gavin, especially about hefting the hives, if they're hard to lift (or feel "nailed to the stand") then they should have enough food. I've given my hives fondant, normally much later than this, every year on the basis that I was told with fondant that they'll only use fondant if they need it hence better safe than sorry.