Comments on: Late Winter Feeding : Beginning Beekeeping Video

By: Eric Gunnar Rochow

Eric Gunnar Rochow — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:19:16 +0000

@gilman, thanks for that tip. i did a recap of our fondant feeding with a bunch of pictures here: http://www.gardenfork.tv/late-winter-check-and-feeding-of-the-honey-bees

By: Eric Gunnar Rochow

Eric Gunnar Rochow — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:17:58 +0000

wow. had not thought of beekeeping in alaska, but thanks for the comment.

By: Ralph Sterling

Ralph Sterling — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 07:29:52 +0000

Here in Alaska I use the Styrofoam top hive feeders, I have added a 50 watt submersible stainless steel aquarium heater, this I set at 60 degrees and about 2 days every week I plug in the heater to keep the syrup warm enough to allow the bees to be able to take it into the hive. At -20 to -30 degrees fondant or syrup turns to rock and is useless to the bees here.
As with all beekeeping this is just my idea but so far it is working for me.

Ralph Sterling
Soldotna Alaska

By: Gilman

Gilman — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:59:59 +0000

Good job,
One way to find out if a hive needs feeding is to tip it gently and observe the position of the cluster.
If a hive needs feeding fondant is a good way in the absence of frames with honey.
Instead of wax paper you should put your fondant in a zipper bag, make a small one inch hole and put it on top of the cluster hole down. this is done to prevent the fondant from drying out and getting hard, which is not possible from the bees to use.

Gilman