Wintering Nuc's

[apisbees]

Just remember that pored in syrup is not the same as stored nectar. the bees need to suck it all out of the combs and have it in their honey stomach and regurgitate it to turn it into a stable storable complex invert sugar read for them to use. The bees need to be warm to do this.
Making a cooked fondant (like fudge) inverts the sugars and so it is ready for the bees to use.
Feed syrup that way but be careful haw much you add and when the stop converting it If they are still light I would put fondant on top.

[yukonjeff]

Thanks ,at this point they don't have much choice since they didn't put away much of anything . Hopefully they will be able to warm it in the cluster and be able to use it ,I will also be adding a sugar brick on top.

[apisbees]

There is debate about sugar bricks and Fondant. Bricks are packed granulated sugar that the bees need to liquefy, hold in their honey stomachs to convert it to a inverted sugar. Fondant is inverted and cured by the cooking process so is much more like their natural honey. In the south sugar bricks work well as the temps are warmer and the humidity is higher. In cold northern climates they do not work as well. They will work as  emergency feeding in the spring. For the few hives you have I would make a candy boards or as Perry did a candy patty and place it over the cluster.

[yukonjeff]

Thanks is there a recipe for his candy patties ?

[apisbees]

Off to a bee club meeting right now but will look one up and post if no one beets me to it. If you are making them for your nuc's make a bigger batch and use them on your full hives also.
Perry the  Judy & Mike Campbell from Campbell’s Gold are coming to speak at it.

[riverbee]

"In the south sugar bricks work well as the temps are warmer and the humidity is higher. In cold northern climates they do not work as well. They will work as  emergency feeding in the spring. For the few hives you have I would make a candy boards or as Perry did a candy patty and place it over the cluster."

not to discount what apis said, but i use sugar bricks every winter, they work for me and the bees consume every bit of it, the bees can and do process the brick sugar well. this is a no cook method. thread here on sugar bricks:

SUGAR BRICKS

[apisbees]

Here is a link to recipes and instructions
https://books.google.ca/books?id=ZLLB2fh55aQC&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=drivert+sugar&source=bl&ots=UVoAi8Fws5&sig=j0mZkvOTtEVS1dEG6jjDV6QZxBM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSk46EirHWAhUX6mMKHcquDdc4ChDoAQhFMAQ

[Lburou]

Here is a link to a thread here on WWB where riverbee shared her recipies.  I'm thinking you could use several of THESE pans to bake a sugar block in instead of the other pans and paper.  If anyone tries it, let us know.  I already use one of these pans to make wax blocks in the solar wax melter.  The silicone pan peels off with ease.

Doh!  I see riverbee already linked that recipe thread...

[Perry]

Hey Apis, I know Mike and Judy Campbell, been out to their place a few times for bee meetings and such. Tried my very first attempt at grafting at their place (I was crappy at it then and nothing's changed since). They're really nice folks.

I don't use candy boards and I use too much fondant to even think about making my own, so I buy it. It went up in price from last year, from $29.50 for 15 kilos to $35. Still a lot easier than making it.

[riverbee]

"Here is a link to a thread here on WWB where riverbee shared her recipies.  I'm thinking you could use several of THESE pans to bake a sugar block in instead of the other pans and paper.  If anyone tries it, let us know.  I already use one of these pans to make wax blocks in the solar wax melter.  The silicone pan peels off with ease.

Doh!  I see riverbee already linked that recipe thread... "

LOL lee!  some years back my mother in law decided we needed silicone pans...............  (muffin type, cake pan, meatloaf type pan)
they have all been used for wax processing and work great!.............  

i use them in my solar melter as well and/or for straining wax in my new wax melter. just a tip........use a bit of mold release in these for repeated wax use.    a few of these would work great for sugar bricks!