Made mine today! Placing them on the hives tomorrow afternoon. With the warm weather, of the past few weeks I have been feeding syrup to my bees, however looks like winter will be here soon, so time to get things together!! Thanks for the Vid.
@robertcart No smaller than 1/4" - So the bees can get through OK. What you see in the video is 1/4" and that's what most of us used last year. However, I'm making mine this year with 3/8". Since you line the screen with paper anyway, it will all stay up there and give plenty of room for the bees to pass through. I use the paper that comes between new foundation. It's perfect for this.
Very Great info! Thank you for responding, Winter was brutal last year and despite having frames of honey near the bees several local beekeepers I know with different beekeeping experience levels ended up with some quiet hives that starved because the bees wouldn't abandon the brood to get a few frames over to the honey. If they could go upward to the candy board diectly above the brood this would be great. 2 Thumbs Up
@jameswolffff Yes, that is a classic scenario you describe there. The candy board is excellent for that... as well as the fact that is sucks up a TON of moisture/condensation into the sugar and that will keep it from dropping back down on the cluster. Come spring... just melt the unused part of the candy board down for your 1:1 sugar water. Everyone in my club, even the old-timers think these boards are great. Good luck.
@ferretzrus See the URL I have in the description of the video (you may need to expand the description) It will take you to our page that has the detailed recipe and method. Put your candy board on as late as possible (Late November) if you put it on when it's still too warm, the bees will get in to it and start eating it. You want this on it during the cold times while you are not getting into the hive. Pollen, we make a pocket in the candy and keep separate. Bees want this late Jan/early Feb
@jameswolffff Yeah... the vinegar is just a mold inhibitor. I forgot to use it last year and had no problem. You mix it with the water before adding to the sugar.
Can you elaborate on the paper you use on the bottom of the sugar? Is it wax paper or parchment paper used for baking? I've laid newspaper on top of the frames before and place granular sugar on it. Maybe same idea but this candy board might be easier to remove.
@Scott1844 Yeah, I personally just used the black and white newspaper. Avoid the shiny clay paper. The guys in the bee club (in the video) were using the pieces of tissue-like paper that come when you buy sheets of foundation. It's perfect, it's sheer and smells of beeswax and is most likely OK for the bees. Again, I used regular newspaper.
@tradernorton05 - Of course honey is better, but sometimes there's no option. There's several reasons you might use a candy board. In the case of new packages, the bees may not have built up enough honey stores the first year. I had two packages and didn't take any honey off either one... and while there is one medium super decently packed, why not make sure? Also, it absorbs a fair amount of moisture that otherwise may be condensation on top that could drop back down on to the cluster.
Made mine today! Placing them on the hives tomorrow afternoon. With the warm weather, of the past few weeks I have been feeding syrup to my bees, however looks like winter will be here soon, so time to get things together!! Thanks for the Vid.
onemouse1 2 months ago
Use your queen excluders for the screen Mr. And Mrs. Bee keeper, they work great!
bigcity1974 3 months ago
@bigcity1974 Yes they do. No problems there. Thanks for pointing that out.
krullion 3 months ago
what size is the screen?
robertcart 5 months ago
@robertcart No smaller than 1/4" - So the bees can get through OK. What you see in the video is 1/4" and that's what most of us used last year. However, I'm making mine this year with 3/8". Since you line the screen with paper anyway, it will all stay up there and give plenty of room for the bees to pass through. I use the paper that comes between new foundation. It's perfect for this.
krullion 5 months ago
Very Great info! Thank you for responding, Winter was brutal last year and despite having frames of honey near the bees several local beekeepers I know with different beekeeping experience levels ended up with some quiet hives that starved because the bees wouldn't abandon the brood to get a few frames over to the honey. If they could go upward to the candy board diectly above the brood this would be great. 2 Thumbs Up
jameswolffff 6 months ago
@jameswolffff Yes, that is a classic scenario you describe there. The candy board is excellent for that... as well as the fact that is sucks up a TON of moisture/condensation into the sugar and that will keep it from dropping back down on the cluster. Come spring... just melt the unused part of the candy board down for your 1:1 sugar water. Everyone in my club, even the old-timers think these boards are great. Good luck.
krullion 6 months ago
What month, do you add the candy board to the hives?
How do you add the pollen to sugar?
What are you talking about when you all said something about 1 1/2 ...something per pound?
ferretzrus 7 months ago
@ferretzrus See the URL I have in the description of the video (you may need to expand the description) It will take you to our page that has the detailed recipe and method. Put your candy board on as late as possible (Late November) if you put it on when it's still too warm, the bees will get in to it and start eating it. You want this on it during the cold times while you are not getting into the hive. Pollen, we make a pocket in the candy and keep separate. Bees want this late Jan/early Feb
krullion 7 months ago
@krullion Thank you so much for helping me with this. I'm new at beekeeping, since May of this year.
So far they afre doing very well. I'm from VA.. our winters very from year to year.
I got on your website and will learn all I can from you. Thank you very much.
ferretzrus 7 months ago
@krullion Thank you so much for your help. I really like your website.
ferretzrus 7 months ago
Comment removed
ferretzrus 7 months ago
Question :) So to make the sugar I just mix the 3 cups room temp water with 16lbs of sugar? Thats it?
I noticed some vinegar on the table is that part of the recipe. I plan to do this but want to make sure I do it properly. Thank You, James
jameswolffff 7 months ago
@jameswolffff Yeah... the vinegar is just a mold inhibitor. I forgot to use it last year and had no problem. You mix it with the water before adding to the sugar.
krullion 7 months ago
Nice Video Presentation!!! Excellent!!!
jameswolffff 7 months ago
Can you elaborate on the paper you use on the bottom of the sugar? Is it wax paper or parchment paper used for baking? I've laid newspaper on top of the frames before and place granular sugar on it. Maybe same idea but this candy board might be easier to remove.
Scott1844 1 year ago
@Scott1844 Yeah, I personally just used the black and white newspaper. Avoid the shiny clay paper. The guys in the bee club (in the video) were using the pieces of tissue-like paper that come when you buy sheets of foundation. It's perfect, it's sheer and smells of beeswax and is most likely OK for the bees. Again, I used regular newspaper.
krullion 1 year ago
Instead of using candy boards, why not just make sure the bees have plenty of honey to eat?
Bees were meant to eat honey.
tradernorton05 1 year ago
@tradernorton05 - Of course honey is better, but sometimes there's no option. There's several reasons you might use a candy board. In the case of new packages, the bees may not have built up enough honey stores the first year. I had two packages and didn't take any honey off either one... and while there is one medium super decently packed, why not make sure? Also, it absorbs a fair amount of moisture that otherwise may be condensation on top that could drop back down on to the cluster.
krullion 1 year ago
@krullion
You do make some very valid points regarding the candy boards, particularly about it absorbing some of the moisture.
You and I both know how dangerous excessive moisture can be in the winter.
I appreciate your reply and look forward to your next video.
tradernorton05 1 year ago