Feeding Bees with Hard Candy
The hard candy method is more work but reduces moisture problems associated with syrup feeding during the cold weather.
Preparing the candy
Ingredients:
12 pounds table sugar
1 ½ pounds honey
1 ¼ quart water
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Heat the water while adding the sugar and honey. Stir continuously until the mixture is liquid. Remove the spoon; do not stir, but continue to heat the mixture. Heat the boiling mixture to 238° F. Do not stir while cooking. When the temperature reaches 238° F, remove from the heat source and add the cream of tartar. Cool the mixture to 125° F and stir vigorously until the mixture becomes cloudy white. Pour the mixture into a rectangular cake pan or candy feeder box.
Candy molded in cake pan can be wrapped in wax paper and placed in the hive.
A candy feed box can be constructed from a piece of one-half inch plywood the size of an inner cover. A 1 ¼-inch rail is
nailed around the perimeter of the plywood to make a tray. Nail 12 roofing nails into the inside bottom of the plywood tray to anchor the candy
after it hardens.
Place the tray, candy-side down, over the bees. Cover the tray with the inner and outer covers.