Candy Boards

[Charlie Garrott]

Below is a message I posted on Mt. Baker Bees to get advice on putting in candy boards and the response I got.

I built my candy boards using this link: Bee Hive Candy Board Construction. I did not put in the internal blocks. I will just put in some spacers to leave openings in the candy when I put in the sugar.

See attached recipe for sugar mixture.

Initial message: I got my candy board frames finished and painted today and will be adding 8-pound sugar/3 cups of water/1 tablespoon vinegar mixture tomorrow. I will leave 1/2" from the top of the candy to the upper surface of the candy board frame. I will roll the candy to compact it and let it cure by the wood stove for a couple of days.

 

Can anyone confirm or correct my thoughts on the choreography of installing the boards? I saw a previous post that indicated using a water spray to move the bees out of the way while putting the board on. I am worried about flying bees and don't feel good about "bonking" the inner cover to knock bees off. 

 

I think (hope) I will have a lot of bees on the inner cover and under the upper cover. I intend to recruit a helper to install the candy boards.

 

My thoughts:

 

1. Have the candy boards warm - about 85F. I have learned I can heat hive components in Julie's oven by just leaving the oven light on. The light can get things over 100F!

 

2. Remove top cover and place gently on a table-top by the hive.

 

3. Give a puff of smoke to settle the bees on top of the inner cover.

 

4. Gently pry the inner cover off. 

 

5. Assistant holds the inner cover while I gently place the candy board on the upper box. Maybe I will need a puff of smoke.

 

6. Gently replace the inner cover.

 

7. Replace the upper cover and put insulation, rain hat, and concrete block back in place.

 

Comments or recommendations?

 

I'll send photos of the process when I get it done.

 

Thanks,

 

Charlie

Response from scribblesrebel from "The Blue Bee Apiary and Mini farm" in Lynden: 

I usually have my candy boards at room temperature ( which is somewhere around 70) which is still usually 30 or more degrees above outside temps.

 

I don't know if I would try to get the candy boards too warm.

 

Just like all outside critters they are accustomed to being outside. A little residual heat won't hurt but really isn't needed.

 

The food itself is needed, as they will use it to make the heat they need.

 

My other outdoor critters get a wind free and dry area. That's all they need. They eat more and burn more calories to stay warm and need ice free water but that's it.

 

When I lived in the Midwest, on the farm, even then we didn't supply extra heat. Only during calving in the early cold spring is when it was needed, with weak new borns. 

 

This is with months in the single digits and negative wind chills

 

As for procedure of putting candy on.

 

1. Pick a fairly wind free and rain free day.

 

2. Do it earlier in the day, giving wayward fliers a chance to get home.

 

3. Have a smoker and a bee brush and hive tool.

 

4. Go to all hives, loosen any straps and take off all rain hats.

 

5. Place candy boards by each hive

 

6. ( since I do it myself) take outer cover off turned upsidedown, place candy board side ways on up turned outer cover, with bottom of candy board touching up turned outer cover.

 

7. Take hive tool and carefully pry up inner cover, very lightly smoke.

 

8. Lift up inner cover and if there is a beard of bees hanging, gently brush off majority. DON'T TRY TO GET EVERY BEE. Don't brush aggressively as this will get bees flying. Just a simple, knock the big clump off and continue.

 

9. Take what little amount of bees that still are clinging to inner cover and place inner cover on top of candy board. With the side of the inner cover with bees still on it, facing down on top of the candy.

 

10. Now pick up candy with the inner cover on top and place back on the hive. The bees on the top bars will be able to go between the frames if crowded. Just go slowly.

 

11. Place vent stick, then outer cover.

 

This all can be done in mere seconds. The amount of time it takes you, to take the inner cover off, bend over, put it on the candy and pick all of it up and place on hive.

 

That 30 degree temperature difference of the candy will replace what little heat that is lost in the process.

 

I don't use water this time of year. Usually the bees are moving slow enough that it isn't needed.

 

The way to prevent bees from doing a lot of flying, is not being ham fisted.

 

Thumping on hives taking off rain hats or covers will get the bees to react. 

 

Inner covers will be well propolised on. So be prepared to slowly loosen all the way around.

 

Remember they can feel the vibrations thru the ground into the hive. So thumping down rain hats, outer covers and being a general ogre around the hive will get the bees going before you even get in. You don't have to put ballerina shoes on, just beware.