Changing from Syrup to Fondant: How, When & Why
As autumn turns to winter in the UK, beekeepers change the way they feed their honeybees, moving from syrup to fondant.
With colder weather forecast across the UK in the coming weeks, the window for liquid feeding is coming to an end and now is the time to make sure your hives are winter-ready and well stocked with fondant.
Why do beekeepers switch to fondant?
Syrup is commonly used in late summer and early autumn, when bees are still active enough to collect, process and store it in the comb. However, as temperatures fall honeybees become less active and form a winter cluster to maintain the warmth needed for survival.
In cold weather, honeybees are less able to process liquid feed efficiently. Syrup also contains water that the colony must remove before the food can be safely stored. In contrast, fondant is a concentrated, solid sugar feed that requires little processing and can be placed directly above the winter cluster for easy access.
While bees begin loosely forming a cluster as temperatures drop toward 14 C, they can still take down and cure syrup if afternoon temperatures remain mild. The cutoff for liquid feed occurs when daytime highs stay below 10 C.
At that stage, honeybees cannot consistently leave the cluster to take down liquid syrup, nor can they generate enough heat to evaporate excess moisture. Continuing liquid feeding past this threshold creates specific hazards inside the hive, including syrup spoiling (or fermenting) in the comb, chilling caused by condensation and feed inaccessibility.
When daytime highs drop below 10 C, fondant provides an accessible carbohydrate energy without introducing extra moisture into the hive.
Fondant is particularly useful as an emergency food source when a colony’s stores are running low. It is important to remember that fondant does not replace adequate winter stores, it provides additional food when needed.
When should the change happen?
In much of the UK, the main autumn syrup feeding is usually completed during September or early October, but this is dependent on local weather, colony strength and how much food the bees already have. By October, falling temperatures can make it increasingly difficult for bees to process and cap liquid stories. Unprocessed syrup may ferment or contribute to problems within the hive.
Fondant is therefore generally used from October onwards, when extra food is needed, and throughout winter if a colony risks running short. There is no fixed date for switching, the condition of the colony and the weather should guide the decision.
How to feed fondant?
Feeding fondant is quite simple: Check the weight of the hive by gently hefting the hive to estimate its remaining stores. A noticeably light hive may indicate that extra food is needed.
Choose suitable fondant: Position it above the cluster. Place the fondant over the crown-board feed hole, with an opening in its packaging, or directly on the top bars if necessary so that the bees can reach it easily.
Have you seen The Fondant Aid? Using this ingenious little device means more slicing at packs of fondant with blunt hive tools. Simply push the sharp edge into the plastic wrapping, give it a twist and remove. Remove the little circle of plastic and then reverse the Fondant Aid and insert the longer spikes into the fondant. The spikes release the bag slightly from the fondant giving the bees more access.
Minimise disturbance: briefly open the hive, particularly during cold weather, and close it securely afterwards.
Monitor through winter: continue hefting periodically and replenish the fondant if necessary.
Choosing a Fondant
There are a range of fondants available that are specially formulated for honeybees, including Hive Alive Fondant which provides added nutrients and targeted health boosters, alongside specialised processing designed to help eliminate toxins.
The Advantages of Hive Alive Fondant
Superior to Standard Baker's Fondant: Formulated specifically for honeybees, Hive Alive Fondant contains added nutrients and targeted health boosters, with specialised processing to help eliminate toxins.
Nutritional Support for Healthier Hives: Based on the same principles as Hive Alive Liquid, this convenient solid feed includes added vitamins and amino acids to help support honeybee health throughout the colder months.
Easy to Digest and Highly Attractive: Made with non-GMO European beet sugar which is finely milled to support easier digestion. Unique active ingredients help make the fondant more palatable and encourage faster consumption.
Simple, Clean and Convenient: The flat, sealed, thin-profile pouch is designed to retain moisture and can be placed directly over the crown board hole or frames - no messy mixing required. If fondant patties dry out, honeybees waste vital energy chewing sugar. Hive Alive Fondant is formulated to remain soft and workable in cold temperatures.
Ideal for Winter Feeding: Its soft, solid consistency makes it an excellent option when temperatures are too low for liquid feeding, helping your bees access supplementary nutrition when they need it most.
Available in 1kg and 2.5kg Packs: Prepare your hives for winter and give your bees the nutritional support they need when natural forage is limited. Overwinter your hives with confidence, conserve vital cluster energy and give your colony the best shot at a thriving spring.
Key Takeaways
The switch from syrup to fondant is not simply a seasonal routine. It reflects the changing needs of the colony. Syrup is best for building winter stores while the bees are still active in autumn, whereas fondant is a practical feed when colder weather makes liquid feeding unsuitable.
The best winter preparation is to leave colonies with sufficient stores before the cold sets in. Fondant is a valuable safety net, but good autumn feeding and regular winter weight checks remain the foundations of successful beekeeping.
