Billy Davis Making Fondant

Billy Davis demonstrates how he makes Fondant for winter feeding of the bees at Sustainable Honeybee Program in Northern Virginia. He also shows how to incorporate a pollen patty for early Spring (March in Virginia) build up of the bees.

[@leandrozuniga5634]

This is the best knowledge of be nutrition I have come through in UA-cam. Thanks a lot

[@normanwells2755]

How do the bees stay in the center column and get through the wax paper?

[@the3d_dude]

Why does everyone put the wooden blocks in the corners? Since you are wanting the bees to go straight up from the cluster, it would seem that you would want to put the entrance area in the center of the sugar frame straight above the cluster.

[@15522sniper]

The holes are less for bee movement and more for ventilation through the chimney affect around the edges, keeping the moisture away from the cluster. As far as feeding, the bees can eat from the bottom up and have no need to access the top of the sugar.

[@remilyonos]

He stated the reason ... if you look at his other videos you will see he has ventilation holes in those corners the are covered with #8 hardware cloth

[@markimuscrashimus4352]

Can you use just regular fondant as used in cake decorating?

[@dorotheymorgan3330]

yes

[@cassandracampbell782]

make it yourself it is better for the bees

[@1chking]

+Cassandra Campbell use honey, it is even better.

[@dorotheymorgan3330]

yes

[@beebob1279]

@@cassandracampbell782 Calvin King suggested using honey. Only if it's your honey and you know it's clean of AFB

hot or cold water?

Can you put honey bee healthy in it as well?

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

jasons1231 I do instead of vinegar, but it can promote robbing if you have a weak hive.

[@remilyonos]

The purpose of the vinegar is to adjust the ph ...

[@olddave4833]

@@remilyonos vinegar prevents mold.

[@mikecox9389]

I was told fondent has to be heated at a certain temp for so long to break down the sugars so bees don't have to. What your making is sugar candy. Someone mentioned fondent isn't good for bees..wrong...and they feed sugar water in winter, not good , bees can't process super water in winter when cold that's why fondent is better it's already processed for them and they can eat it right away....

[@15522sniper]

You're correct in that fondant has to be heated (235 degrees for 15 minutes, to be exact). However, bees are capable of processing sugar during the winter and sugar cakes are fine. In fact, they are great at absorbing moisture in the hive. The only reason we don't feed syrup is the whole freezing thing. Bees don't do ice.

[@corneliualdea5385]

Fondant needs to be boiled right what u doing in sugar cake

[@followme8238]

This is not fondant, this is candy. Two different recipes

[@billiamc1969]

Fondant is not a good way to feed the bees...just feed them syrup on a winter day when the temps are 50...we feed nucs syrup regularly in February without any problems...

[@leandrozuniga5634]

😂😂 I will used the Washington Post because they are against my President.

[@Ggizered]

This is not fondant!

[@SkyWalker-se7su]

This is not fondant!!