Starving Bees? Here's How To Stop Them Dying

[@BlackMountainHoney]

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[@markmurphy8303]

Hi Lawrence, Wednesday 29 dec 17 degrees here in Liverpool and my bees were out and actually seen a lot of pollen going into all my colonies where the hell is this mild weather coming from, had to get more fondant onto every hive as they were nearly all light at this rate it’s going to cost us a fortune in fondant. Cracking vlog mate.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Cheers Mark. Costs a bit in fondant but if it stays mild and we get good spring weather, you will have bumper size colonies coming out of winter. All is to play for still 😀

[@markmurphy8303]

@@BlackMountainHoney yep just ordered a shed load of bakers fondant today that should keep my girls happy over this very mild winter we are having so far, I was watching my bees today bringing in pollen by the bucket full In December don’t know were they are getting it from though.

[@christopherroop4937]

I’ll definitely be trying this on a couple of my colonies next winter 👍🏻 thanks

[@scottmurray5600]

Great video. Highly practical. Thank you for posting. As of 28/12/21 the 24 hour forecast for the UK shows high temperatures for this time of year. 16 degrees centigrade in London, 11 in Edinburgh. Wow.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Cheers Scott. Its certainly unseasonable weather isnt it.

[@gypsygem9395]

Brilliant! Now I know what I've often done in the past isn't so far wrong after all, makes me feel better. Thank you for the video. (I'm a bit behind with your videos but will catch up again soon!)

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Thanks GG. As with everything in beekeeping, everyone does things a bit differently. Many never feed fondant at all

[@KoiKicks]

29/12/21 Got the HydeHive (1 colony only) on 1kg Apipasta vitamin fondant, they're half through it in 2 weeks and can't believe how well my colony looks. May be new Winter late brood hatch put but they look darker and shiny, almost oily looking if that makes sense. Will keep them on for a couple more kilo then move back to Apipasta fondant, then back on syrup for a last push before flows are on.

[@emmawood2784]

How long does bakers fondant last, can you freeze it, only asking due to only just starting and will only have one hive. Thanks

[@wildwaysfarm]

Thanks Laurence

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Cheers WWF. Had that smoker fired up yet?

[@wildwaysfarm]

@@BlackMountainHoney No, not yet. I am getting bees next year and have placed a deposit on some from Devon from Thorne. I am starting with 2 hives and plan to get the Abelo 12 frame hive as I saw your review and thought it was the best hive I had seen so far this year. I have been watching your videos for a while now and trying to learn as much as possible before I get the bees. :-)

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@wildwaysfarm Nice! Ah well you will love it. Mention it to Thorne you won it from me as they provided it for free 😀

[@wildwaysfarm]

@@BlackMountainHoney Thanks Laurence. I was just wondering if I bought the Thorne Nuc it says that it is a Dn4 frame size and also lists that it can be adapted to 14x12 but I was wondering if it would fit in the abelo 12 frame hive.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@wildwaysfarm Yes. DN4 will fit in the abelo. You will need extenders to make it 14 x 12 or can just let them build it down

[@citrumpet1]

Good method...the best imo. I've had colonies in my long hives die from isolation starvation when feeding fondant with the single hole in a top feeder. Granted I'm in a colder climate but iIt'd be nice to be able to put a slab over the frames on the long hives as well. Any ideas for this? I'm thinking of making square shims that would cover 5 frames or so but still allow for the top to close.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Thanks Stan. It's a tricky one as bees really dont like to move horizontally in winter, especially if brooding. I'm still a bit stuck as to what can be done. I'll have a think

[@davidgaller9101]

Hi, thanks for another great video. I’ve got some bs poly nucs. Can I just take the plug out of the feeder and put fondant in there or would that be too far above them for the real depths of winter when they’re cold? Cheers

[@BlackMountainHoney]

This is why I LOVE the BS honey nucs. That plug is inspired. Exactly how I use it and how its meant to be used. There is a slim chance they wont find it, but get it on early enough and they will have a good idea! I wish there was a big ashforth feeder with a plug like that!

[@solonik29]

Thanks for the video Lawrence, when you will recommend to put this in the UK? November-December? I have been doing using just large plastic food containers that will usually take 1.5-2kg max, but this makes a bit more practical way.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Whenever they need it really. We add ours early as they were light going into winter

[@fouadjavid18]

What is fundon.where can I get it in USA

[@matthewwootton7239]

Where do you get your fondant from?

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

How much weight you normally feed them up to in the fall ? States pretty common see hobbyist adding dry sugar on top . I ask how the bees can possibly convert that into digestible food no one seems to have answer .. I can understand fondant because the sugar is inverted .. we make queen candy for cages we use inverted syrup and powdered sugar .. wouldn't use just reg syrup expect the bees to digest it

[@BlackMountainHoney]

We go to between 35-40kg inc weight of hive. Ive never understood this either. Seems craziness sending them out to gather water to convert it.

[@rangersteve2279]

could you not use a little smoke to get the bees off the QX? By placing the fondant straight on them aren't you squashing bees like that? guessing a few expendables there then?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yes you could do that to move them but they soon move out of the way when you place it on them. Probably best to move them with smoke come to think about it 😀

[@wildwaysfarm]

When you mention in your videos that you're going to give them fondant is this what you always give them bakers fondant icing for food

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yes - thats right. Its always bakers fondant that I use. Its called called Bakers Fondant. Fondant Icing is actually (confusingly) different. Needs to have no other ingredients other than sugar, glucose and water. Bako will know the one if you ask for beekeepers fondant.

[@wildwaysfarm]

@@BlackMountainHoney Thanks Laurence

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@wildwaysfarm 😀

[@vytbbb7146]

6kg for all winter? What its made of?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

No. That's just a top up after the have been fed to weight for winter and only if they need it. It's fondant - just sugar, glucose and water

[@researcherAmateur]

They dy because they won't move off a pach of brood. Only broodless clusters move around. You're right, they can move only up when it's too cold. If they have brood they can't move to the side

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yes. This stop start winter is a classic driver for this. Today was 14c. Flying and bringing in pollen. Might start rearing brood. Then we get -10c in a few weeks and they dont want to abandon the patch of brood. Be interesting to see what happens in spring. I think there will be a lot of classic starvation this year due to mild conditions in Autumn and winter

[@researcherAmateur]

@@BlackMountainHoney that is why you need to try Carniolan. Some gigant Slovenian, if you can find a good breeder. Austrian. Something from the mountain. Two kilos of bees will live broodless all winter.. and explode in early spring. There's many different tipe of them.. need to find one good for your area