Roger Hoopingarner, formerly of Michigan State, was one of the great
teachers of beekeeping.  His advice on candy boards is as follows:

*

"CANDY BOARDS FOR WINTER FEED
*

During cold days of winter when the bees cannot move any great distance for
honey, candy boards placed over the upper combs have saved bees from
starvation. Bees normally move upward during the winter as the heat from the
cluster allows this movement more readily than laterally. If the bees reach
the top of the hive before spring weather allows them to move or expand
sideways they can starve with honey on the outside frames. The use of candy
boards will allow bees to survive this period when the temperature is too
cold for lateral movement. Thus these boards are in some sense a temporary
measure, or to some beekeepers as an "insurance" because they may have taken
away too much honey, or have the colony organized with the honey poorly
placed. The boards can be placed on the colonies in just a few seconds and
thus save a colony that would otherwise die. The making of these candy
boards is relatively easy, and once the actual board is made the yearly
operation of adding the sugar candy is routine. The board itself is made
with the same outside dimensions as the hive. The board looks like an inner
cover without the hole, and usually has somewhat higher sides to hold more
sugar. We use 1/4 inch tempered or hardened particle board with 3/4" side
boards.

The formula for the candy is as follows:

15 lbs. sugar

3 lbs. white corn syrup

4 cups water

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Dissolve the sugar in water and stir while heating the mixture to 240oF. Let
the syrup cool to about 180o, then beat until thickened and pour into the
board to harden. Once the candy is hard they can be put onto the colonies,
candy side down, over the top frames. Some beekeepers pour the candy into
waxpaper lined molds instead of making regular boards, and then put these
molded blocks on top of the frames while the inner cover is placed over
them. The blocks must therefore be no thicker than the depth of the inner
cover rim. If the bees do not use the candy, the boards can be saved, or the
sugar melted and used for spring feeding as syrup."

I know a beekeeper who uses candy boards on each of his 500 hives.  He puts
them on about March 1 and credits them with producing lots of brood that he
uses for spring splits.  He says that bees will consume the candy boards
quicker than they will consume honey in frames.  (We all know that the candy
is better for them than honey, because the candy does not contain ash.)

Does anyone know the reasoning for using both corn syrup and sugar?

Lloyd


-- 
Lloyd Spear
Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacture of equipment for round comb honey sections,
Sundance Pollen Traps, and producer of Sundance custom labels.
Contact your dealer or www.RossRounds.com

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