Sugar bricks update

I went out today (almost 1 week after putting the bricks on the hives initially) to try to gauge just how fast they are going to go through the bricks. Here is the video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQxmDn32 ... aWBKbM1c1_

I am starting to really like this winter feeding approach. Which has me thinking: I know that I can add dry pollen or dry pollen substitute when I make the bricks by adding it after the mixture is removed from the heat and cooling.

My question is - can I also use the bricks to medicate say with Fumigilin or supplementing with Nozevit or Honey-B-Healthy?

 

Perry,

The inner covers I use are of the same design as the 'All-season inner cover' at Honeyrunapiaries.com. Only, I build them myself! It is cheaper that way. If you are interested, PM me - I think that I have a .pdf file for the plans. The innercover has a raised (min. 3.5") and vented section ABOVE the inner cover. I put a piece of 2.5 inch Styrofoam insulation in that space which closes the vents and insulates the top (the space is also convenient for feeding above the inner cover during the warm months).

The bricks are actually pretty easy:

10 lbs sugar
4 cups water
2 Tbsps white vinegar

Bring water and vinegar to boil - add sugar

Bring mixture to 245-250F (use a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and stir while cooling.
When the mixture becomes opaque - pour into molds.

I use small bread/brownie pans (8"x4"x1") and line them with tin foil. This recipe makes three 3.5lb bricks that are 8"x4"x3/4". The whole process takes me about an hour.

No kidding about the snow. We got something like 200+ inches last year. When it melted, everything flooded and stayed flooded through June. Some of the farmers never even got a crop in. Out here, sufficient moisture is always a worry - but the last two years it has been too much of a good thing!

 

Thanks Marbees!

The link to the plans simplifies things for everyone!

Mike

 

Perry,

I use the covers all summer. Bees don't come up and build comb. In fact, when I have had combs of honey break off and hit the ground - I just toss the broken comb in the 'well' of the cover. Because the vent holes are screened, only the bees in the hive can get to it. They come up and clean it all out. About a week later, I go in and scrape the left over wax out. I haven't had any issues with burr comb inside the cover.

The plans posted here are the same ones that I have.

Mike

 

We had another 50+F day, so I decided to check in on some of my hives and see how much they had eaten of the bricks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOSFpKxa ... aWBKbM1c1_

my wife is VERY concerned about getting stung!

 

HA! There aren't!

My hives are set up along a hedgerow on a friends farm. I backed them up as close to the trees as I could on the east side of the hedgerow. It is the best we can do for a windbreak.

If you listen closely to the audio at the beginning, you can hear my wife moving things and me telling her that she is moving part of my windbreak - she is moving the tumbleweeds that I pile behind the hives!

That is how desperate we get for shelter up here!

 

Glad to help! I hope that they work as well for you as they have worked for me.

Mike