Winter feeding honeybees

 

 

 

 

Winter Feeding
If your hives feel light anytime between November and early March, you should be prepared to feed with fondant, not liquid syrup.  The bees are likely to ignore sugar syrup and it will be left to go mouldy.

Fondant suppliers
C. Wynne Jones  Apifonda, a proprietary bee feed 2.5kg £5.80, 12.5kg £25 collect from Ruthin.
BAKO Bakers’ Fondant.  Ask your local bakery if they can sell you fondant in 12.5kg packs.  Approx price £8.50 per pack.  Do please let us know if you find a good local supplier.
Alternatively, contact Bako NW via the link above and ask for prices for 35617 BAKO White Fondant 12.5kg per pack. Current price £8.20 per pack, with free delivery for orders over £75.
Apifonda is no longer available from BeesWales.

“How to use fondant” videos
Norfolk Honey
Black Mountain Honey North Wales

Fondant recipes from our members
From Wesley Evans, Llanfairfechan…
Here is my recipe to keep the bees healthy, very simple .
1) 1kg supermarket icing sugar
2) Water
Tools.  Large bowl ,tablespoon, wooden spoon for mixing.
Method. Empty sugar carefully into the bowl (it’s dusty ), then add the water carefully in measured tablespoon fulls (it takes approx 8)mixing it in after each one. Job done .
You don’t want it sloppy, just  firm. Depending how much you want to give each hive, I put a measured amount into small plastic bags with tied ends so they lie flat when put directly top of the cluster of bees, after cutting a small access flap, with a 3/inch eke under the crown board ,thus minimizing the air space above the bees.
Happy wintering.
Wesley.

and from Arwyn Davies, Abergele…
Here’s my recipe for candy, I have used it for years with good results.
Much cheaper than fondant.
Successful beekeeping secrets coming up.
I have had an average year as far as honey is concerned. Good weather came too early. Mêl yn Ebrill dim ar hyd y gweddill. Good demand for honey.
1 kg sugar.
6 fluid ounces water.
Pinch of salt.
Dissolve the sugar in the water in a saucepan, stir with wooden spoon and bring to the boil, then  simmer for 5 minutes, keep stirring. Take off the heat and keep stirring until it becomes cloudy then pour into clear pyrex dishes.
I add two tablespoons full of pet lamb milk powder in the spring to raise the protein level. I’m not sure how much difference it makes though.
Cadwch yn ddiogel,  Arwyn.

More information
See our website page Feeding bees

Prices correct at 30/11/2020.
Notes compiled by Peter McFadden
Email peterhoney914@gmail.com