Beekeeping: How to make Sugar Boards for Honey Bees
How to create Sugar (or Candy) Boards for honeybees. These sugar boards are given to the beehives in the fall as an addtional souce of food during the cold winter months. Some refer to these lids or other styles of sugar boards as ‘bee insurance’.
19 Responses to Beekeeping: How to make Sugar Boards for Honey Bees
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i just would like to know why you would make “sugar boards” for bees?
StrawberyBubbleCakes
March 4, 2013 at 4:05 am
Сахар платы дополнительную пищу для конца зимы и ранней весной. Мы сделали это для аварийного источника питания, если выводок ест во всех магазинах мед и нектар не доступен.
KandDs Bees
March 4, 2013 at 4:39 am
We made our boards. The boards are the same width and length of a standard super and about 3 inches in height.
KandDs Bees
March 4, 2013 at 5:01 am
This can be touchy at times. Towards the end of our mix when we were adding our last few cups it seemed like it was getting dry. We continued to stir constantly and it thinned down. When we gradually added sugar it was in smaller increments towards the end (1/4 cup) to ensure even texture.
Thank you for watching and the comment! Let us know if you have better luck!
KandDs Bees
March 4, 2013 at 5:37 am
Just tried, and failed miserably. Goy a new candy thermometer, and the mixture quit boiling and seemed to get drier at 220 degrees. I dont know if the thermometer is accurate, but I think I cooked the heck out of it…or not long enough. I hurried to my board to transfer, but I ended up with a crumbly mess. It wont go to waste, I’ll put it on top of some newspaper on the frames. Any idea where I f!@#ed up? (I don’t do fudge very well either) Really enjoyed the video. Thank you!
samsungpizza
March 4, 2013 at 5:38 am
Почему не делать так,чтобы не давать пчелам сахар.Это ведь тормозит их развитие.
Ольга Мунтяну
March 4, 2013 at 5:47 am
just for the record, these types of boards do little good during the cold winter as the bees cannot survive alone long enough to eat from it and take it back to the cluster.
they do however provide much needed food to the bees when winter breaks. It also helps in the fall months when the bees are prepping.
I have seen bees starve to death in the winter with honey 4 inches away on the same frame. but the cluster can’t get there to eat it.
vonshavingcream
March 4, 2013 at 6:17 am
The size of the candy board is the same dimensions as your super…
Height would be 2.5″ – 3″
kastnmagic
March 4, 2013 at 6:31 am
ANSWER: NEVER use beet sugar w/bees.. ALWAYS use pure cane sugar…
kastnmagic
March 4, 2013 at 7:26 am
Where do you get the candy frames from?
CanYouBelieveThat
March 4, 2013 at 8:15 am
here may be a dumb question,does it matter if it is cane sugar or beet sugar where i live(minnesota) i can get beet sugar cheaper just wondering great video btw thanks in advance
minnesotahillbilly1
March 4, 2013 at 9:02 am
You have some great info that I have been looking for. I have couple questions what size is the sugar board length and width and how deep is it and what materials are they made from?
Thanks for all the info.
Ace5948
March 4, 2013 at 9:13 am
It Should, we have never tried it. You wouldn’t want to add too much and make the bees not want to stay there! haha Those mint oils only take a few drops and it’s VERY minty.
KandDs Bees
March 4, 2013 at 9:36 am
Mountain Camp method, newspaper then dry sugar, will turn into a candy board during winter, by absorbing excess moisture from the cluster. Kill two boards with one stone. Time spent cooking, could be spent playing.
But then I do have a lazy streak.
magprob
March 4, 2013 at 10:05 am
I was watching another video, and he had put a paper towel soaked in Menthol oil on top with the candy….would adding the Menthol or Mint oil to the candy when you pour it work?
DamiettadCarnivalle
March 4, 2013 at 10:08 am
Thanks so much for your reply.
ferretzrus
March 4, 2013 at 10:49 am
If you’re worried about pieces of the candy board falling out and squishing the bees you can place a queen excluder or wood lathe between the top of the hive and the candy board. Thanks for your watching & questions!
KandDs Bees
March 4, 2013 at 11:36 am
(the way we produce the lids) they solidify and we place them ‘upside down’ so the candy area is open from the bottom. The outer cover will rest ontop of the candy lid box. We place the inner cover between the candy lid and the outer cover.
We are in Nebraska, so typically late October and November is a good time for us when we winterize the hive.
KandDs Bees
March 4, 2013 at 12:17 pm
How does the board go on the hive. Is the bottom solid and you turn it upside down ? When is a good time to place the board on, what time of what month?
ferretzrus
March 4, 2013 at 1:05 pm