Right bee candy formulation

limyw · October 02, 2007, 11:45:53 AM

I used to produce bee candy as food for bees to consume when they are caged. The ingredients were grinded refine can sugar added with honey. But I found that it was not good enough where it turned very hard for bee to consume after a few hours. When I import queen from Australia I noticed that the candy always remains "creamy" even after a few days. What is the right formulation for good candy?

KONASDAD · October 02, 2007, 12:21:42 PM

Many people use "peeps" candy from around easter time or marshmallow.

TwT · October 02, 2007, 12:42:28 PM

Karo corn syrup and confectioners sugar is how i make it....

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=9055.0

Michael Bush · October 02, 2007, 07:47:05 PM

My guess is it has some amount of invert sugar in it to keep it soft...

I just use sugar and water.

TwT · October 02, 2007, 08:01:34 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on October 02, 2007, 07:47:05 PM
I just use sugar and water.

now when that dry's out it will be like concrete

BMAC · October 02, 2007, 10:30:42 PM

shouldnt it be like concrete?

Some of the local Beeks just gave their formula and it included making it into candy like the real deal candy. Bringing it to like 270 degrees on the stove for something like 10 minutes. Sounded like to much of a chance of turning it into a big glob of carmelized crap to me... :?

TwT · October 02, 2007, 11:28:59 PM

when that blob cools it will be hard, sugar and syrup makes a soft candy, sugar and water can be soft also until it dry's out then its hard... he's asking more of queen candy in a cage is what I understand...

JP · October 02, 2007, 11:45:21 PM

lyw, do you mean queen candy? For caged queens a lot of us here use confectioner's sugar and corn syrup as Ted has implied. We mix it so its pliable but not like concrete. It keeps for a while in the frig. When introducing the queen puncture the candy with a small nail to give the bees a head start on removning her.

TwT · October 02, 2007, 11:52:32 PM

jp, I never put mine in the refrigerator, I leave mine out in a ziplock bag, the candy I made 3 months ago still plyable.

JP · October 03, 2007, 12:35:53 AM

I heard that it may keep better in the frig. It loosens up some when brought back outta the frig.

Michael Bush · October 03, 2007, 07:53:53 AM

>now when that dry's out it will be like concrete

Not at first, but eventually it will dry out and it is quite hard. A drop of water softens it up nicely enough for them to chew it out though.

limyw · October 04, 2007, 12:41:31 PM

Thanks for all replies.

Cindi · October 06, 2007, 01:16:37 PM

Some say marshmallows. Best of this beautiful day. Cindi

Zoot · October 07, 2007, 11:03:16 PM

If you use it in the form of a candy board - some one here posted a nice simple plan for making one a while back - it has the advantage of absorbing some of the rising moisture in the hive. I've only done this as a late winter feeding tactic when stores ran low.

Zoot · October 07, 2007, 11:04:08 PM

that's simple cane sugar and water candy by the way.