Candy Board - 8 Frame

Candy board.   Used primarily in the winter to provide emergency feed to a bee hive that is low on stores.   Made with 1/2" hardware cloth and a center support to handle the weight of up to 14 pounds of sugar in the 10-frame version  (11.5 pounds in the 8-frame version and 7 pounds for the 5-frame version)

The support bar in the middle helps support the heavy sugar with minimal sagging and provides space above the frames for bees to easily access the candy.

Typical usage:   

Place a piece of paper over the screen and the wooden block (included) in front of the ventilation hole.   Add a small amount of water to the sugar, just enough to make it damp and then pack the sugar into the candy board.  You do not want to make it too wet or it will take a long time to dry.   There is no need to heat the mixture or to produce a 'hard tack' candy.   The intent is to make a hard lump of sugar that will not easily fall out of the board like dry granulated sugar will.
Place the candy board in a warm dry place for it to dry.  The sugar should turn into a hard lump.   When dry, remove the block to allow ventilation through the screen and out the front hole.  You can store the candy board like this in a dry location until you need it.
The candy board is placed on the hive under the top cover in place of the inner cover (If you have an All Season Inner Cover, a quilt board or other insulated top,  it would be placed under it).
The bees will chew through the paper and the moisure in the hive will help the bees consume the sugar.

Sugar blocks, fondant or winter patties may also be placed on the screen and replaced as needed over the winter.    Feeding dry sugar during the winter is recommended to avoid introducing excess moisture in the hive.