Hi All

I have practiced various forms of PPB over the years. " Too soon oldt  
too late schmart" comes to mind.  Each spring I worry about the  
preparations carried out last fall.  Some years I find hives that  
have apparently starved but still have frames of capped food on the  
opposite side of the hive from the dead cluster.  This year with an  
unusually mild November( the summer we didn't have) and hive P8(never  
clustered and were kicking drones out in January) to move me into  
action, I used something I learned a few years ago on this list -  
Fondant.  I leave my 1.5" spacers on my hives all winter.  All of my  
hives were clustered down between the frames except P8 when checked  
in early January.  Hive note January 10, sun -4C(bees flying in  
bright sunshine, rim space full of bees, bees very active, smoked  
down, 1 kg fondant cake on topbars( fondant = 250ml water + 1kg sugar  
+ 3/4 tsp vinegar brought to 235F cooled to 200F then stirred till  
white then poured on wax paper).  I have checked my hives several  
times, on mild days, since then and fed each fondant when they broke  
cluster, usually along the sidewall.  All hives were alive yesterday  
and flying in the sun +8C.  I have never used fondant before and only  
one other member of our local association had ever heard of it.   
Thanks Bee-L.

Bob Darrell
Caledon Ontario
Canada
44N80W

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