Winter Hive Checks And Fondant Feeding: Why It Matters This Year

January 14, 2026

Winter is usually the quiet season in beekeeping. The hives are closed, the bees are clustered, and our job is mostly to leave them alone. But mostly doesn’t mean entirely. This is the point in the season when a quick, careful check can make the difference between colonies surviving until spring or quietly starving just a few centimetres from full frames.

Over the last week I’ve been checking my own hives here in Donegal and have fed fondant to a small number that felt light on a simple lift (or heft) check. Given how unusual this winter has been, now is a sensible time for beekeepers to start paying attention.

How I’m checking stores without opening hives

At this time of year I avoid opening brood boxes unless absolutely necessary. Instead, every week or so I gently lift the back of the hive floor just enough to get a feel for the weight. You’re not aiming for precision – just a comparison over time.

It takes a bit of experience, but after a few seasons you get a good sense of whether a hive is holding its weight or getting worryingly light. A hive that feels noticeably lighter than the previous week is a hive worth keeping an eye on.

If you’re new to this, the key thing to remember is to do this regularly and you'll notice the difference. it also helps to have uniform equipment around your apiary, that way you can compare hive on hive.

Why this winter has been particularly challenging

Several factors have come together this year, and while each on its own wouldn’t necessarily be a problem, the combination increases the risk of starvation.

1. An exceptionally strong ivy flow

Last autumn we had a very strong ivy nectar flow. In fact, it was so strong that I had to remove frames of ivy honey just to create space in some brood boxes – a first for me.

The upside was obvious: brood boxes packed with stores. Because of this, I did not need to feed any sugar syrup at all this year.

For newer beekeepers: autumn syrup feeding usually involves feeding a thick sugar syrup (typically around 2:1 sugar to water by weight) to help colonies build up sufficient winter stores once natural forage declines. In a normal year, this is essential. This year, ivy did that job for the bees.

2. Prolonged mild weather into January

The mild conditions right through late autumn and early winter meant colonies stayed larger than usual. Queens may also have continued laying brood much later into the year.

More bees and more brood mean higher food consumption. Colonies simply moved through their stores faster than they would in a colder, more typical winter where brood rearing shuts down earlier.

3. A sudden cold snap – and the ivy honey problem

The last two weeks of freezing weather are where the risk really appears.

Ivy honey is notoriously high in glucose and crystallises extremely hard. In cold conditions, bees often need to dilute crystallised honey with water before they can consume it. When temperatures stay low, they can’t fly to collect water and may be unable to access those stores at all.

So even though the hive looks full on paper, the bees can effectively starve.

Now add this to:

Larger‑than‑normal clusters
Faster consumption of any non‑ivy honey earlier in winter

At this point, some colonies may have eaten through all their easily accessible stores and be left surrounded by honey they can’t use.

Why fondant is the right option right now

Because of these conditions, I spent time earlier this week hefting hives and making up fondant for those that felt light.

Fondant is ideal for mid‑ to late‑winter feeding because:

It doesn’t add moisture to the hive
Bees can access it without leaving the cluster
It can be fed with minimal disturbance

It’s important to stress: only feed when necessary. Over‑feeding can cause its own problems. But with the rapid change in weather over the last two weeks, now is exactly the time to start checking.

Feeding fondant – in practice

Below are photos from this week showing fondant being prepared and placed directly above the cluster. The aim is simple: give the bees an immediately accessible emergency food source that bridges the gap until temperatures rise and natural stores become usable again.

A large cluster of bees in winter being fed fondant

bakers fondant is perfect winter feed

A small winter comfort from the hive

Winter beekeeping is mostly about supporting the bees, but it’s also the season when we appreciate the results of their work a little more ourselves. On cold evenings, lighting one of our hand-rolled beeswax candles is a simple way to make the house feel warmer and more settled – a natural by-product of the same colonies we’re busy protecting.

And if you’re feeling run down, a mug of hot water with a spoon of our Donegal wildflower honey, plus a little lemon or fresh ginger, is a traditional and comforting way to take the edge off winter chills. It’s a nice reminder of why getting colonies safely through winter really matters.

A calm, practical approach to winter beekeeping

Winter losses are never caused by one single factor. This year shows how a chain of perfectly reasonable conditions – strong ivy, mild weather, then a hard frost – can combine to create real risk.

The takeaway is simple:

Lift check regularly
Act only when necessary
Use fondant as a safety net, not a default

If you’d like to read more about how I manage bees through the seasons, you might also enjoy my earlier post “An Education ”, which reflects on the steep learning curve that comes with practical beekeeping. You can find it in the beekeeping section of my site at bentleyandsons.ie.