Product Overview
HiveAlive Fondant Patty Winter Honey Bee Feed — 2.2 lb Patties
Accessible solid carbohydrate feed for full-size colonies during cold weather
HiveAlive Fondant Patty Winter Honey Bee Feed provides approximately 2.2 lb of solid supplemental carbohydrate feed in a wrapped patty intended for standard full-size 8- and 10-frame colonies. It is especially useful when a colony needs accessible supplemental food during cold weather and feeding liquid syrup is impractical.
At Lappe's Bee Supply, we pay close attention to where the winter cluster can actually reach food, not simply whether honey remains somewhere in the hive. When supplemental carbohydrates are needed, positioning fondant directly above the cluster gives the bees a food source in the area they occupy. Fondant is supplemental feed, however, and is not automatically necessary for every overwintering colony.
Product Details
- Product: HiveAlive Fondant Patty Winter Honey Bee Feed
- SKU: WNTS-2355
- Brand: HiveAlive
- Patty weight: Approximately 2.2 lb
- Approximate manufacturer dimensions: 9" Long x 9-1/4" Wide
- Approximate thickness: 1/2" thick
- Intended colony format: Standard full-size 8- and 10-frame colonies
- Quantity options: Individual patty or case of 15
- Feed type: Solid supplemental carbohydrate fondant
- Storage: HiveAlive recommends an optimum storage temperature of 50°F to 68°F (10–20°C).
HiveAlive Fondant Ingredients
Ingredients: According to HiveAlive, the fondant contains Sugar (sucrose), sugar syrup, dried seaweed meal (Fucaceae), water, thyme, lecithin, lemongrass oil, dextrose, hydrolyzed yeast (source of alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, phenylalanine, cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine, and valine), vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6, biotin, niacinamide, and D-panthenol.
GMO Information: HiveAlive states that it does not use GMO ingredients.
Why Use HiveAlive Fondant for Cold-Weather Feeding?
Fondant is a solid carbohydrate feed that can be placed inside the hive close to the winter cluster. Its solid format makes it useful during cold-weather situations when a colony needs supplemental carbohydrates and liquid syrup is impractical.
The important distinction is food availability versus food accessibility. During prolonged cold, a tightly clustered colony may have difficulty moving to honey located elsewhere in the equipment. Placing supplemental fondant directly above the cluster can provide another food source where the bees are more likely to encounter it.
Is This 2.2 lb HiveAlive Fondant Patty Right for Your Colony?
Choose this full-size HiveAlive fondant patty when a standard 8- or 10-frame colony needs accessible supplemental carbohydrates during cold weather. Situations can include a colony becoming light on accessible stores, questionable reserves ahead of extended cold, or late-winter and early-spring periods when food demand is increasing while dependable forage remains limited.
A colony that remains well provisioned with adequate food accessible to the cluster does not automatically need fondant simply because it is winter. For nucs and smaller colonies, consider the HiveAlive Fondant Patties for Nucs & Small Bee Hives instead.
Check Hive Clearance Before Feeding
The patty is approximately 1/2" thick, so available space above the frames matters. Some hive configurations already provide sufficient room, while others require a shim or suitable spacer to keep the patty from being compressed or preventing the equipment from closing correctly.
Check your actual hive configuration rather than assuming every 8- or 10-frame hive needs the same setup. When additional space is required, Lappe's Bee Supply offers an assembled Wooden Bee Hive Shim and a Super Tall Bee Hive Shim for applications where additional vertical clearance is desired.
How to Use a HiveAlive Fondant Patty
- Evaluate the colony first. Consider hive weight, accessible natural stores, cluster position, remaining supplemental feed, colony food demand, brood-rearing activity, and current and expected weather.
- Keep the protective wrapper on the patty. The wrapper helps limit unnecessary exposure and drying.
- Provide bee access. Follow the manufacturer instruction to make an approximately 3-inch opening in the wrapper.
- Position the fondant where the cluster can reach it. For cold-weather supplemental feeding, Lappe's Bee Supply emphasizes placement directly above the winter cluster.
- Confirm adequate clearance. Add a shim or suitable spacer when necessary so the hive equipment closes correctly without compressing the patty.
- Monitor the individual colony. Check the remaining fondant along with the colony's accessible stores and overall food situation rather than replacing patties according to a fixed calendar schedule.
Lappe's Bee Supply Apiary Note: Feed the Colony, Not the Calendar
We've found that colonies can consume the same 2.2-lb HiveAlive fondant patty at substantially different rates, even under seemingly similar winter conditions. One colony may use a large portion while another still has much of its patty remaining.
That is why our rule of thumb is feed the colony, not the calendar. We look at hive weight, accessible stores, cluster position, remaining fondant, food demand, brood-rearing activity, and weather rather than assuming a patty should be replaced after a certain number of days.
Lappe's Bee Supply has been a commercial beekeeping family since 1978 and has served beekeepers with equipment and practical beekeeping education since 2017. Cold-weather feeding is one of those areas where the condition of the individual colony matters more than a universal schedule.
What to Expect
- Consumption varies. A 2.2-lb patty does not represent a fixed number of feeding days.
- Cold firmness is not automatically a defect. Pay more attention to compromised packaging, excessive drying, contamination, mold, leakage, significant physical damage, or other abnormal deterioration.
- HiveAlive Fondant addresses carbohydrate availability. It does not correct queen problems, low colony population, parasites, disease, excessive moisture, or other unrelated colony-management issues.
- Results cannot be guaranteed. Supplemental fondant does not guarantee winter survival, colony growth, brood production, or increased honey production.
What You Receive and What You May Need
When ordered individually, you receive one approximately 2.2-lb HiveAlive fondant patty. Select the case option to receive 15 HiveAlive patties.
An individual patty can be a practical choice when feeding or monitoring a small number of colonies. The 15-patty case is convenient for beekeepers managing multiple full-size colonies or who want additional patties available as colony feeding needs are monitored through the season.
Additional Feeding Information & Return Policy
For a broader look at assessing winter stores and choosing feeding methods, see Lappe's Bee Supply Winter Feeding Honeybees: A Detailed Guide for Beekeepers or browse our Winter Bee Feed & Feeding Supplies.
Return restriction: Bee feed is non-returnable and non-exchangeable under Lappe's Bee Supply's standard return policy. Damaged, defective, missing, or incorrect merchandise is handled through Lappe's Bee Supply's merchandise-reporting process rather than as a normal return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every honey bee colony need HiveAlive fondant during winter?
No. Colonies with adequate food accessible to the cluster do not automatically need supplemental fondant. Evaluate the individual colony rather than feeding based on the season alone.
How long will one 2.2 lb HiveAlive fondant patty last?
There is no fixed feeding duration. Consumption varies by colony, so monitor the amount remaining rather than replacing the patty on a predetermined schedule.
Where should I put the HiveAlive fondant patty?
Position the fondant directly above the winter cluster where the bees can reach it during cold weather.
Should I remove the wrapper?
No. Keep the wrapper on and make the approximately 3-inch access opening specified by the manufacturer.
Do I need a hive shim for this HiveAlive fondant patty?
Only if your hive does not already provide enough clearance for the approximately 1/2" thick patty. Check your actual hive setup before adding a shim.
Why is one colony eating HiveAlive fondant faster than another?
Consumption varies by colony. Monitor the individual colony and its remaining fondant rather than using another colony's consumption as a replacement schedule.
Is very firm HiveAlive fondant in cold weather defective?
Cold-weather firmness by itself is not necessarily evidence that the HiveAlive fondant is defective. More meaningful condition concerns include compromised packaging, excessive drying, contamination, mold, leakage, significant physical damage, or other abnormal deterioration.
Can HiveAlive fondant correct other winter colony problems?
No. This HiveAlive fondant provides supplemental carbohydrates. It does not correct queen problems, low colony population, parasites or disease, excessive moisture, or other unrelated management problems, and it does not guarantee winter survival or future colony performance.
Product Expiration Notice:
Feed products have a defined expiration date and may not have the full shelf life remaining at the time of purchase. If you plan to order feed in advance, we recommend contacting us before hand to confirm the expiration dates of our current inventory. Any product remaining after the expiration date is not eligible for refund or replacement.
