# Feeding candy boards or cooked sugar bricks in winter



## Spinner (Jun 2, 2013)

She's obviously had direct or indirect experience that indicates cooked sugar is a problem for bees. I'd like to hear more to understand her concerns.

My experience with cooked and uncooked candy has been very positive.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I don't know everything and I have an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree in Commercial Beekeeping from Ohio State University. Neither does someone w/ a Master Beekeepers Certificate.

Did she explain what is wrong w/ boiling sugar syrup? Michael Bush should be able to tell you. Ask him or wait for him to reply here.

If you put these sugar bricks on your hives they will not kill your bees.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> If you put these sugar bricks on your hives they will not die.


Are you sure that you wouldn't like to rephrase that? :lookout:

Or are sugar bricks the secret to eternal life? :gh:


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## DocHivetool (Jun 20, 2013)

Two sheets to the wind. Or maybe put another way, she's one way-- a bit like Smithe St or Nelson St


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Are you sure that you wouldn't like to rephrase that? :lookout:
> 
> Or are sugar bricks the secret to eternal life? :gh:


There, is that better?

Oh, yeah, be careful you don't over feed them. Some folks think that doing so might make them lazy.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Radar - I have some rug rats that might want to agree to sqkcrk that sugar bricks are the secret of eternal life (or at least their short term eternal happiness.).

sqkcrk - Some folks think that doing so might make them lazy. - :no: -

don't kick that poor dog again or :ws:


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Well, WBVC could have read that Thread herself, I guess.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

Yes...for a while I read the lazy bee thread.
Currently I have come away with the impression that bee preferences seem to be: honey...be it robbed from hives or taken as offered feed, nectar/pollen from preferred vegetation, sugar products if there is nothing better.
There is soooo much to learn about the productive husbandry of bees!


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## RogerCrum (Jun 19, 2011)

Beware the advice of someone with a modest experience history and a piece of paper when they are in the business of selling you bees to replace those that might starve for want of said brick. I value advice from humble old hands that don't have a dog in the hunt.


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## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

I am pretty sure the bricks are going to do no harm if not caramalized, however it did waste a lot of time and energy when you could have just dumped the 5 pound bag of sugar on top of some newspaper on the top bars and walked away. The condensation from the bees will turn the sugar into a "brick" in farily short order. I subscribe to the MB school of lazt beekeeping.....maybe it is from all the sugar I eat?


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

For a master beekeeper certification to bear any weight, it must be from some sort of verifiable source. If someone claims to have a master beekeeping from the Eastern Apicultural Society, it can be easily researched and verified on their web site. If it is from Fred's beekeeping school it don't mean a hill of bean.

I do not feed every hive every year. but when necessary they get sugar bricks, or fondant. never killed my bees by eating it.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Caramelized sugar is indeed bad for bees, but just boiling it to make bricks isn't going to do the job, you have to boil all the water out and cook it until it turns brown. I don't think you did that.

However, I endorse the idea of just mixing a small amount of water in the sugar and letting it sit in a mold -- it will harden up just fine.

Honey is much better for the bees, second choice is syrup processed by the bees (more water, proper condition to stay liquid, etc), but sugar works just fine either as candy or as syrup poured into comb, or dry.

I prefer to feed my bees up to weight and leave the hive closed over the winter, it cannot be good for them to have an icy wind howling through the hive when you open it, but if the hive is light going into winter and you cannot feed them, by all means put the candy on.

Feeding them sugar is MUCH better than letting them starve in January!

Peter


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## Kilted Beekeeper (Apr 8, 2013)

From what I jhave read, Mr. Bush puts regular cane sugar sprayed with a bit of water in the hive to feed in the winter, only if necessary. That is how I understood it on his web site.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

Tenbears said:


> For a master beekeeper certification to bear any weight, it must be from some sort of verifiable source...


It was from the government...department of agriculture. I agree that hands on experience develops huge knowledge...if one is curious, interested and thinks about cause and effect. Time alone doesn't cut it

Personally I am quite skeptical..4 hives, 7 years, a certificate and one of 2 hive component/hive management businesses in a very large area. Yet a very pleasant business person.

I am glad I found this forum.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

I do have 2 frame feeders but was told by locals...in the bee supply shops...that feeding syrup over winter has 3 significant issues.

Bees don't take it if weather is less than 50f...and we sit at or under that for several months.
The liquid feed contributes to humidity and condensation in the hive
The bees won't move to the frame feeder to access the syrup

And..they said the container of liquid syrup remains cool so increases bee effort re hive warming.

Are those points valid or not?

Our fall and winters are wet, mainly in the 40-50f range days, drops down to freezing over night with a couple of cold weeks below freezing plus snow.

It seems some in this area wrap hives...some with tar paper, some with rigid foam insulation and tar paper, some with something called pool wrap (I think it is like heavy duty bubble wrap) yet others, including commercial beeks, just lay tarps over the hives being certain to provide upper and lower holes for ventilation.

Somehow I think the commercial folks would be doing the least to get the most consistent result. After all it is their livelihood not a hobby to fill in down time


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If you need to feed when the weather is below 50 degrees F, dry but clumped granulated sugar seems to be the best choice. Michael Bush's _feeding _page:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Vancouver has wet, cold weather that only occasionally dips well below freezing. Ventilation is a major concern, as you often have condensing conditions.

Feeding liquid over the winter is asking for a wet hive full of mold, I would NOT under any circumstances put a division board feeder in there. Still best to have adequate stores in October -- use a hivetop feeder to get them up to weight if necessary -- and dry sugar or sugar bricks if and ONLY if they do not have adequate stores. The bees will be far more active there than here (southern Indiana) due to the higher winter temps, so they won't have any trouble accessing the sugar if they need it, and you have the added advantage that the sugar will absorb moisture in the hive. The bees will readily eat the syrup that forms on the sugar!

Make sure you have a completely waterproof top cover and no leaks into the hive. Cold water dripping on the cluster will kill the bees.

Peter


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## arcowandbeegirl (Oct 11, 2010)

I have fed the sugar bricks for the last couple of years, as insurance. Just to be sure my bees have enough. Sometimes I put some pollen sub in with the batch, before pouring into the molds. I haven't seen any ill effects. Like you said mine is also clear before I put the pollen sub in. While we don't have a whole lot of cold weather here, I like the blocks because there r a lot of days under 50 degrees. What I like best about the blocks, is they are removable. I have not seen many of the pieces fall down into the hive. You want to inspect its not messy to move them. I leave 9 frames of honey on for them to eat in a super and remove one frame and put in a brick just. I haven't tried the pouring sugar in (mountain camp method).


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I use sugar bricks - no problems here. I add pollen sub to them as they cool too. I prefer the bricks to candy boards or dry sugar. Dry sugar is a mess to clean in Spring.

The good thing about feeding them sugar bricks is that the bees have to chew and lick them - thereby making them work and preventing laziness


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## mbwalton (Apr 22, 2013)

Please list if known exact "best" way to make the bricks without worrying about caramelizing the sugar? Thanks Marvin


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

Candy
Mix 4 lbs sugar with 2 cups of water and 1 tblspoon of apple cider vinegar. Bring to boil at around 220-238 degrees (soft ball). When boiling, stir continuously. Mixture will get milky and foam up, then will turn clear and foam will stop when it reaches the candy point. (If mixture turns brown, throw it out!) Remove from heat and stir in 1-2 cups pollen substitute and lemongrass oil (10 drops). Mix with blender until white and creamy. Pour into mold. Makes two large bricks. Caution -Burned sugar will kill bees!


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Paul McCarty said:


> I use sugar bricks - no problems here. I add pollen sub to them as they cool too. I prefer the bricks to candy boards or dry sugar. Dry sugar is a mess to clean in Spring.
> 
> The good thing about feeding them sugar bricks is that the bees have to chew and lick them - thereby making them work and preventing laziness


If you put a piece of 1/2 x 1 or 1/2 x 1/2 hardware cloth under the newspaper and sugar you can remove and replace the sugar any time you want to once it hardens up.


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## mbwalton (Apr 22, 2013)

Paul,
Thank you for the detailed sugar brick making recipe. I will give it a try & store them until I need them. I am assuming in my area that I won't need to add them to the hives until mid to late December.
Marvin


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

The temps may be off a bit as I am quite high up around 7500'. You will be able to tell by watching the liquid go clear.


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## Cloverdale (Mar 26, 2012)

mbwalton said:


> Please list if known exact "best" way to make the bricks without worrying about caramelizing the sugar? Thanks Marvin


Hi Marvin, go to this site, they show pics and step by step making of the candy board....very informative...I am doing this for my hives this winter...www.beverlybees.com


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## philip.devos (Aug 10, 2013)

I used to make "soft-ball" candy, but being lazy I started mixing as much sugar into 1 cup of water as I could, and have all wet sugar. About 8-10 cups of sugar will go into one cup of water. I also add 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar. This winter I will put this stuff into a 2-1/2 inch deep frame (1X3 at home depot) with 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the bottom with a piece of paper towel to put the sugar on. Set that in a cool dry place for 2-3 days, and it will be a brick. I will also add a pollen patty or 2 with the sugar. The bees will chew through the paper towel and get to the sugar and patty.

As far as making the bees lazy, I have found that in a dearth the bees do get "lazy".

Phil


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