[stavros]

I pulled some honey supers off my hives, and I have left them some for the rest of the summer and winter. I was thinking of feeding them some fondant now, during dearth, which does not cause robbing. I would also like to harvest some honey in the fall (maybe a super or so) depending on the season and on their reserves. The question is this: if I feed fondant the bees and have honey supers on, does the fondant get to the supers? I would think not, since fondant is solid, and honey supers have liquid stored. What do you think? Thanks a lot,
Stavros

 

[Michael Palmer]

I suppose it could to some small degree. They do liquify the fondant before they use it.

 

[vernonpurcell]

Hi Mike, off topic sorry. I saw your seminar on youtube from the Honey show in the UK, awesome, still trying to take it all in. Do you do any training? Would love to get some hand on practical training. I have watched both videos now about three times.
If anyone hasnt seen it here are the url's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nznzpiWEI8A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7tinVIuBJ8

 

[sqkcrk]

The question is this: if I feed fondant the bees and have honey supers on, does the fondant get to the supers? I would think not, since fondant is solid, and honey supers have liquid stored.
Stavros

Stavros, you really do already know the answer, if you think about it. You seem unsure. But just think. If the honey supers weren't there, what will the bees do w/ the fondant? Only eat it as they need it? No they will chew on it and store some of it.

There is no sign telling the bees that this box is for honey only. It's comb. Comb is used by the bees for three things, the same cell(s), laying eggs in, storing nectar/honey in, and storing pollen in.

If you drive your car at a speed 20 miles over any speed limit, are you going to get a speeding ticket? Same answer. That being: Chances are likely you will.

So why chance it?

 

[stavros]

OK, I will feed them to help them finish some foundanless frames and store fondant and whatever they else choose on them, and wil not pull any honey frames for the fall. I have never pulled any fall honey, partly because the fall flow is too weak, and partly because I have fed them sygar syrup in the later summer. I'll have nicely drawn frames this fall, and can harvest again next summer. I iwll also feed fondant a couple of nucs with less than 2 frames of bees to boost them up before the winter. Currently the nucs have survived SHB, robbing, and starvation, but with their low population, they may not survive the winter.

 

[pgayle]

Has anyone ever put food coloring in fondant and watched to see where it gets stored? I was thinking about making up some colored patties this fall.

 

[Michael Bush]

Judging by what gets filled and changes in weight, I would say that fondant and dry sugar tend to be consumed rather than stored. That doesn't mean they don't ever store any of it, but that does not seem to be the primary motivation. They also don't tend to use it to draw comb. If your goal is to get them to draw comb fondant is probably not the right solution. If there is a flow, you probably don't need to feed them. If there is a dearth there is a huge risk of starting robbing and getting ants in the hive. I would definitely take robbing precautions BEFORE you start to feed them if you decide to feed.