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Bee Hive building & a place to share howto's on equipment
 #5475  by Alfred
 13 Jan 2020, 17:00
So a rapid feeder isn't ideal either?
Carry on with sugar blocks?
 #5477  by NigelP
 14 Jan 2020, 09:30
It's all about timing....In autumn and warm spring bees will take down syrup from any type of feeder. In late autumn/ winter/cold spring they won't as the temps are too low. Either they are reluctant to climb away intio a cold feeder ior the tmeps are too cold for them to process the solutioin.
Hence fondant becomes a good food source if required as it's stuck next to them and only requires diluting.
It's worth remembering that bees can only "digest" syrup/honey when it is 50% or less. So honey needs diluting, as does fondant with water before it's of any use to the bees. It's assumed that condensation in the hive can be used by the bees to do this dilution. Notably many early spring flights are for water. Seeley has described them collecting water in Scotland at temps just above 5C.
 #5480  by Alfred
 14 Jan 2020, 15:33
Thanks NP that's something to think carefully about.
From that then there's no need for liquid until autumn,then sugar block supplement as required.
I noticed today syrup forming under the fondant so it must be absorbing the condensation .