Maybe they're the Captain Oates bees.Originally Posted by Bridget
Today despite the slates shading the sun and snow glare some of the little blighters had decided to go for a spin with the inevitable results at -2 degrees
Maybe they're the Captain Oates bees.Today despite the slates shading the sun and snow glare some of the little blighters had decided to go for a spin with the inevitable results at -2 degrees
I'm thinking of scaling up.
The fondant went on yesterday. Some of mine were a bit light in the autumn and are even lighter now. Well, they're a bit heavier again.
BFP are selling 12.5 kg of fondant at £8.78 which seems a decent price. Just over 70p/kilo, and less water than the various syrups.
Last edited by gavin; 18-01-2015 at 02:51 PM.
That's a good price Gavin. I managed to get some cheap fondant through Bridget on here and I'm still working my way through it. I'm a great believer in whacking a big slab of the stuff direct on to the frame top bars above the cluster in the early months of the year as a belt and braces against isolation starvation.
Wow Gavin BFP is where I get my fondant from but it's never been below £10 a box. Maybe it's because everyone has finished icing their Christmas cakes! Seriously though - it worries me that it can get pretty hard even above the brood and I was worried that it was because its a cheap commercial option. Do you reckon it's OK?
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It's absolutely fine Bridget. I used it all last winter and the bees dealt with it without a problem. The bees ate all but a few remnants which admittedly were pretty hard. Remember as well that some people just moisten sugar bags and stick it on top of the bees and although I've never done it I'm pretty sure what the bees don't eat of that would become pretty hardened by Spring time.
I'm certainly not convinced enough to buy really expensive Apifonda or the like although I have used that in the last. Not seeing much difference between the expensive and the cheap so worry not!
I don't think that I've ever had it below £10 either, sometimes several pounds above. Looks like the international price for sugar has been falling to take it to 2009 levels:
http://www.indexmundi.com/commoditie...0¤cy=gbp
Some commercial beekeepers use only bakers fondant. To stop it drying, wrap it in plastic and make a few slits on the underside to show the bees the way in. The simplest way is to take the 12.5 kg bag in the box shape and cut it right through the middle with a big knife then you have the plastic protecting the fondant. Either use the half block, cut side down (with or without a slit plastic or greaseproof paper covering), or the whole block opened out like a book. There are more details and pitures on the Stratford on Avon Beekeepers website. It doesn't dry out when protected by the plastic it comes in.
And yes, the bees winter well on bakers fondant, applied now or even in the autumn.
Last edited by gavin; 19-01-2015 at 12:39 AM.
Great suggestions Gavin! I have been slicing a block into 5 and wrapping the slabs in greaseproof paper. A little cutout in the paper allows the bees access. And as I said the bees seem happy enough with it.
I inspected all the colonies today, and then noticed these bite marks on one of the hives. One on the front of the hive by the entrance (the first two photos) and another at the back as well as some scratch marks near the top (the third photo). Can anybody think what animal could have done this? I doubt that it's one of my cats(!) and my husband doubts that they're even bite marks - but I imagine that I can see a row of tooth marks. Any ideas?
K
Bite marks - front of hive (1).jpg Bite marks - front of hive (4).jpg Bite marks - back of hive (2).jpg
Pine marten? Looks like teeth to me!
If it is a pine marten, then that would be interesting! I've never seen one around here - but then, I've never seen badgers either and I know they are here (I've seen the dead ones on the roads).
In either case, I don't know how big their mouths or teeth are. Your suggestion made me look at some pine marten images, and I thought their front teeth seem to be in a much straighter line than the marks on the hive. Well, I'm glad you agree with me that the marks do look like teeth marks, Drumgerry!
Kitta
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