How to feed bees in the UK fondant
If your hive is feeling a bit light mid-winter then the only way that you can feed them is with fondant. It's easily available off the shelf in 12kg blocks or can be bought pre-packaged from beekeeping suppliers.
It's much cheaper if you buy it as a 12kg block of baker's fondant and you then cut it into sections. Make sure your fondant is only sugar and water and doesn't have any anti-caking agents or colourings.
One thing that's important when feeding fondant is to make sure that it doesn't have access to the air. This will cause it to dry out and the bees won't be able to eat the fondant.
Feeding fondant to honeybees:
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Use a Tupperware or Chinese takeaway tub. Fill with around 1kg of fondant and invert over a feeding hole on the bees. This is a great way to feed small amounts of fondant but is limiting if you want to feed more than around 1kg.
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Wrap in clingfilm. Cut a large slab of the fondant from the 12kg block and wrap it in clingfilm. Cut a small hole in the base of the plastic and place it over the hole in the crown board for the bees to access.
This stops the moisture from being wicked away from the sugar and keeps it palatable for the bees.
When to feed fondant to bees?
Feed bees fondant when they are light on their stores. You can do this by:
- Lifting them by placing a hand at the back of the hive and pitching them forward. If they feel too light, then they need fondant.
- Checking to see if they have eaten existing fondant that is placed on the bees
What time of year should I feed fondant?
Fondant is fed to the bees in winter, between October and April in the UK.
Most of the time, you'll find that bees consume the majority of their fondant between the end of February until the end of April. This is because they are rapidly building up in population size as the season becomes warmer and the days longer.
It's important to monitor the bees during this time of year as this is when they are prone to starvation.
