Candy Board Recipe

MegaBee Candy Boards have been used for years by beekeepers to provide extra sugar to colonies throughout the winter.  What we have done is simply added protein to the sugar at the end of cooking.   It can be made into an entire cover that fis over the colony and will provide 10 to 15 pounds of product or made into small pieces (like peanut brittle) that are put on the top bars either under the inner cover or under the standard cover.

What is impressive about it is that it provides enough sugar and protein that it really boosts brood production and it may be a solution to the hive beetle problems in the southeast.  Hive beetles eat patties like they are going out of style, but candy boards are more difficult for beetles to hide their eggs under.

If you don't want to use High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), you can use honey or simply replace the HFCS with sucrose.

The form for the candy board fits on top of the colony (it is designed to fit exactly on the hive body - not telescope over) and should measure 20" X 16.25" X 2".  This will hold approximately 15lbs of candy board.

The candy lasts about a month.  When using the candy boards, no other feeding is necessary - no syrup or patties.

MEGABEE HARD CANDY FORMULA (10.5 pound batch; 4% Protein content)

Bring sugar, water, & HFCS to a slow boil while stirring until "Hard Ball" candy consistency is reached (255 to 265 degrees F).  Take the candy off the heat and stir in the Megabee with a wisk.

Pour mixture into a mold and allow to cool.  To make candy boards without HFCS, you can replace the HFCS with an equal weight of granulated sugar.

Recipe obtained from REBECCA MORETTO; provided by Gene Goff while instructing a beekeepers class for MCBA.

  • 7 lb Sugar
  • 1.5 lb High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • 1 lb (1 pint) Water
  • 1 lb Megabee