Candy Bricks - Do Bees Draw Comb and Store Sugar from Them?

[Paul McCarty]

I know bees can be stimulated to make comb and store syrup by feeding them liquid syrup, but if you feed them sugar candy bricks, will they do the same? I have heard of some folk feeding them year round with these sugar bricks.

[Michael B]

In theory no. I have candy boards on a few hives, one hive has drawn a comb ladder from the top bars to the candy.

Candy is consumed and digested rather than stored this time of year.

[timgoodin]

I would tend to agree with Michae B. I have not observed them drawing or storing candy board or mountain camp sugar during the last two winters. On the other hand, I was lazy on removing some mountain camp sugar on a couple of hives in March when we are gearing up for the pre flow and those hives ended up being the best hives I had. They were loaded with bees and ended up storing a surplus come late April/May. I suppose it gave the hive the resources to raise lots of brood the 30 days before our main flow of the season. I now leave my sugar or fondant on till I super up in the spring for a flow.

Tim

[Brandy]

I've noticed that my hives are hauling the candyboard sugar out of the hive. Not sure the % but they're definitely removing some which surprised me.

[Michael Bush]

I wouldn't guarantee they wouldn't draw ANY comb or store ANY of it, but as a general rule, they don't tend to. They tend to just eat it when they are in need of stores or when the cluster is up against it.