Feeding Fondant?

[thesurveyor]

Anyone here have experience feeding fondant to bees. I have a hive that suffered the loss of a queen and suffered from robbing. I have replaced the queen, fed with sugar water and they have built up some winter stores. The amount of winter stores concerns me.( its not as much as my other hives ) The nights are getting cold and the amount of sugar syrup the bees are consuming is dropped dramaticaly. I was wondering if changing to fondant would help get them through if they start running low on honey?

Thanks
Thesurveyor

[Michael Bush]

No matter what, the amount of syrup, honey etc. the bees take up, will drop with the temperature. I would try a frame feeder on the side full of honey with a hardware cloth liner. I cut the hardware cloth to make two walls and a bottom inside of the feeder. I don't have many drowned bees this way. I have had a lot without it. The frame feeder will be down in the hive and will stay warmer. I still wouldn't expect them to be very active in eating it in the cold.

I also know of people who just dump dry white table sugar down into the back of the hive between the frames to feed for the winter, but I would worry that the bees won't have any water to disolve it.

[NewBee]

thesurveyor, I have fed fondant to my hives, it works well. If you can get a copy of "Bee Culture" Nov 2001 you will find an excellent article on feeding and making of fondant. I normally use fondant towards the end of winter when the bees stores might be running low. It feeds them and doesn't make the bees feel a nectar flow is on. It would probably be just what you are looking for. Steve

[thesurveyor]

Thanks for the advice, I will try to get a copy of the article. As always this board is quick to respond and the advice has been more that helpful.

Thesurveyor