Foundant for bees

[spudstacker]

Does anyone know where i can buy cheap fondant for my bees. i feed them sugar solution but would like to give them a treat. They are very special girls and its been so cold

[Mcbee]

Try here.

I don't know where you are but they have a shop off the M4. They also do on-line sales.

Beekeeping equipment and bees. Beekeeping supplies the worlds largest range from Thorne on line sales.

[spudstacker]

Used Thorne before they do not seem to sell fondant. Can you buy it in the high street?
regards
jacqui

[Mcbee]

Paynes are in sussex and tis is on their website:-

Paynes Southdown Bee Farms...

They got their stuff from Thornes so i'm surprised that Thornes don't sell it.

[Plot17B]

Hi, about to post link to Headfry's recipe request, but if you wanted to make your own, here's a good resource...
Feeding Candy (Fondant) to Honey Bees

david has a wealth of technical top tips on his site. All useful stuff.
Cheers :-)

[spudstacker]

Thanks for this will certainly try it. Will let you know how i get on. Have you tried it yourself?

[Plot17B]

Hi, no but I'm game for a go. Our local bee group buy fondant in mass bulk and divvy it up, so that is always an easy option. But I'm going to check the bees this weekend (weather permitting) and decide if I need to give supplemental feed. So I'll be making the fondant in the next week or 2 if so. Let us know how you progress! :-)

[Osmosis]

Have you tried your local BFP Wholesale depot? You can find your local depot by clicking here BFP Wholesale then clicking on the DEPOTS link on the left hand side. I purchased a 12.5 kg block recently for under £10.

[Digger-07]

I've used both these in the past for a spring feed to get the colony growing but be careful because feeding too early can stimulate growth that can't be sustained because of poor pollen collection for the brood.

A smallbatch fondant recipe:
Mix 2 cups granulated sugar,
1.5 cups of water,
2 tablespoons corn syrup,
and 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar.

Stir until sugar dissolves and continue to heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 238 degrees F. (Use a candy thermometer.)

If you use bottled corn syrup from the grocery store, make sure it is “light” corn syrup, not “dark”. Dark corn syrup has molasses in it, which should not be fed to bees.

Pour the mixture onto a cool surface and let it sit until cool enough to touch. Then beat the candy until it is thick and pour it into a thin container or mold, like a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, to harden.
The candy can be broken up and placed over the inner cover.
Alternatively, an empty honey super can be placed on top of the brood chamber and the candy placed on stick supports on the top of the brood bars.

Some beekeepers will make a special small fondant feeder similar to an inner cover, but deeper (1 inch or more). The candy can be poured into this feeder and placed over the brood box upside down.


Another recipe for larger batches calls for
15 lbs. sugar,
3 lbs. corn syrup,
4 cups water,
and ½tsp. cream of tartar.
Make the candy in the same manner as the smallbatch recipe.

Cooking and beating are the keys.


Another substitute for making fondant is to purchase baker’s fondant from a bakery or a grocery store that bakes and sells iced cakes. The white sugar icing that is used on commercially baked cakes is the nearly the same thing as fondant and can be used in the same way. Bakers purchase this white icing in buckets, and you may be able to persuade a local baker or grocer’s deli to sell you a bucket. But make sure it’s white – not flavored.

Hope this helps.

[Plot17B]

Hi Digger,
....from one of my two local groups...There seems to be no clear definition of the terms 'candy' and 'fondant', with many beekeepers using them indiscriminately
Debate on the cream of tartar bit.....just lobbing it in as an aside/for debate as no experience on this particular matter.
Just checked the girls as warmish and dry (gentle breeze here). Good short buzz on tapping, but could hear the colony buzz anyway, & when peeked into the supers there are gazillion of bees and all looks healthy. So will not feed just yet for the very reasons mentioned above....Roll on spring.....

[Headfry]

Thanks folks, made fondant last year with Cream of T in it....seemed ok, have done the same this year, gave them a small amount Sunday!
My 'county' style bee books say ivy is a good late season crop...
High tech bee books say ivy honey is bad for bees???????
What is a newbie to do?
My girls had loads of pollen and nectar from the huge amounts of ivy that grow close by....????

[Digger-07]

Hi Headfry
I think the advantage in having Ivy nearby is in the pollen not the nectar that is available at times when other pollen producing plants are suffering from winter. i have often seen late winter flying bees collecting pollen from Ivy and have always taken it as a sign that there was brood to feed.

[Osmosis]

made fondant last year with Cream of T in it....seemed ok, have done the same this year, gave them a small amount Sunday!

Hmmm... I understand cream of tartar can be toxic for bees - see here Feeding Honeybees There are other sources on the net that say the same.

Regards,
Steve