How To Make Sugar Bricks For Honey Bees: The Winter Feeding Hack Your Hive Needs

Paul West/ Pet And Wildlife Care

Honey bees play a vital role in pollinating many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts we enjoy. As beekeepers, it’s our responsibility to ensure our buzzing friends stay happy and healthy year-round.

One essential component of healthy beekeeping is providing food, especially during the winter months when natural nectar sources are scarce. That’s where sugar bricks come in!

Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to make sugar bricks for honey bees and stock up on these nutritious

Why Feed Sugar to Honey Bees?

Honey bees collect and store honey in the hive as their primary food source. This honey powers them through the foraging seasons. However, sometimes honey stores can run low over winter for various reasons:

• A short nectar flow season resulting in low honey production.
• An unexpectedly long and cold winter depleting honey stores faster.
• An infestation like varroa mites weakening the colony.

When honey stores are inadequate, the bee colony faces starvation and death. As beekeepers, we must step in and provide an alternate food source – one that bees can easily consume and digest. Plain white table sugar is the perfect supplemental food. Let’s look at why:

• It’s a simple carbohydrate that bees can easily digest, even during colder months when their metabolism is slower.
• Granulated sugar is affordable and easy to source. You likely have some at home already!
• Sugar can be mixed with water or turned into other foods like sugar syrup or fondant.
• It lacks additives found in other sugary products, making it safe for bees.

Feeding bees sugar supplements their nutrition and prevents colony starvation when honey stores are low. Now let’s explore some traditional methods beekeepers have used to feed sugar before the advent of sugar bricks.

Traditional Methods of Bee Supplementation

Before sugar bricks became popular, beekeepers employed various other techniques to provide supplemental sugar to their hives during lean times. Here are three common methods:

Sugar Syrup

This food is made by mixing granulated sugar with hot water at a 1:1 ratio. Once dissolved, the syrup is poured into hive feeders for the bees to eat.

Pros:

• It’s simple to make with just sugar and water.
• Bees can consume it easily from built-in hive feeders.

Cons:

• It dilutes and crystallizes fast in cold weather.
• It requires frequent replenishment as bees consume it quickly.
• Feeders must be cleaned constantly to prevent mold.

While sugar syrup works in warmer seasons, it’s less suitable for winter bee feeding.

Bee Fondant

Fondant is a thick, malleable sugar paste made by heating sugar and water then whipping in powdered sugar. Beekeepers shape it into patties or cakes and place them on the top bars of the hive. The advantages of fondant:

• It lasts longer than sugar syrup since it’s slow-release.
• No liquid means reduced risk of fermentation and mold.

The drawbacks:

• Making good fondant requires precision and skill.
• It’s labor-intensive and time-consuming to make.
• Bees sometimes have trouble breaking through the hardened fondant.

Though better than syrup, fondant can also be tricky for cold-weather feeding.

Mountain Camp Method

This simple technique involves placing a container or burlap sack of granulated sugar directly inside the hive near the cluster of bees. The bees eat it slowly. Pros of this approach:

• It lets bees feed on pure, undiluted sugar.
• Minimal work required to apply the sugar.

Cons:

• Temperature fluctuations can cause the sugar to solidify into concrete-like crystals.
• Sugar can leak in the hive and encourage pests.
• Bees may not immediately find the sugar source.

Leaving granulated sugar in the hive works in theory but brings risks in practice.

Sugar Bricks: A Modern Solution

Sugar bricks resolve many of the issues with traditional feeding methods. But what exactly are these bricks?

Sugar bricks are solid blocks made primarily from table sugar compressed into a brick shape. Think of them like nutritious candy bars for bees!

Compared to fondant, syrup, and pure sugar, sugar bricks offer major advantages:

• Convenient format: Bricks stack perfectly on hive frames so bees can access them easily.
• Long-lasting energy: The compressed sugar dissolves slowly to give bees a consistent food source.
• Low moisture: With little water content, bricks won’t freeze solid or grow mold.
• Pure nutrition: No nasty additives or chemicals – just wholesome food for bees.
• Easy to make: Basic ingredients and a simple process mean you can DIY sugar bricks at home.

Now that you know the benefits, let’s dive into everything you need to whip up perfect sugar bricks!

Ingredients & Equipment

For a basic sugar brick recipe, you need:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 tsp citric acid
• 1 tsp electrolytes (like Honey B Healthy)

Equipment needed:

• Saucepan
• Mixing spoon
• Measuring cups
• Food dehydrator or oven
• Nonstick pan or mold
• Brick press (optional)

Let’s break down the role of each ingredient:

• Sugar: Use plain white granulated sugar with no additives. It provides the primary nutrition.
• Water: Hydrates the mixture so it binds together when compressed. Too much water makes bricks sticky.
• Citric acid: Adds necessary acidity for bee digestion and preservation.
• Electrolytes: These supplements provide essential minerals, vitamins, and energy.

A food dehydrator or oven gently dries the brick after compressing it into shape. The optional brick press gives the mixture uniformity which bees seem to prefer.

Step-by-Step Method

Follow these steps to whip up flawless sugar bricks at home:

1. Prepare the ingredients

Measure out the sugar, water, citric acid, and electrolyte mixture into a saucepan. For larger batches, maintain the ratio of 8 cups sugar to 1 cup water and increase other ingredients proportionally.

2. Dissolve the ingredients

Heat the mixture over low-medium heat, stirring periodically until the sugar fully dissolves into a smooth syrup with a texture like warm honey. Don’t let it boil.

3. Pour the syrup into molds

Grease your brick molds or pan slightly with cooking spray. Pour the syrup evenly into the molds about 1-inch deep. Let it begin cooling undisturbed for 20-30 minutes.

4. Compress into bricks

Once cooled and solid enough, use your press or even just your hands to compress the sugar into brick shapes. They should hold together well but still feel pliable.

5. Dry the bricks

Place your finished bricks in a food dehydrator at 115°F for 8-12 hours. If using an oven, set it to the lowest temperature (170°F) and occasionally rotate the bricks.

6. Wrap and store

Once dried, the bricks should feel sturdy. Wrap them in plastic wrap to store long term. Place them on hive frames as needed!

With practice, you’ll perfect your optimal water ratios and drying times. The process becomes fast and rewarding.

Comparing Different Feeding Methods

Now that you’re a sugar brick pro, let’s recap how they stack up against old-school feeding techniques:

Sugar syrup works fine in warm months but not winter. Sugar bricks stay solid through cold snaps.

Fondant takes skill to master. Bricks use basic ingredients and steps. Both fondant and bricks supply bees long-lasting sugar.

Plain sugar crystallizes in the hive. Bricks give focused, contained sugar intake. Both provide pure nutrition.

Bricks combine the convenience of fondant with the insulation of granulated sugar. With some trial and error, you’ll find bricks deliver easy, reliable winter feeding.

Best Practices for Feeding Bees Sugar in Winter

Creating nutritious sugar bricks is only half the battle. You also need to properly place and monitor them in your hive for full effectiveness:

• Position bricks directly above the winter bee cluster so they have immediate access without moving much.
• Stack multiple bricks (4-6) to create an insulating sugar wall that retains hive heat.
• Check food levels bi-weekly and replace bricks as needed so they never run out.
• Weigh hives throughout winter and provide emergency feeding if their weight drops rapidly.
• Make a pollen patty with sugar bricks to encourage eating and stimulate brood rearing.

With attentive hive management and high-quality sugar bricks, you can almost guarantee your colony will survive the coldest winters.

Wrapping It All Up

Like any good caretaker, we must provide for our honey bee colonies in their times of need. Sugar brick feeding offers a convenient, mess-free way to nourish bees through lean winter months while their natural food stores run low. With some simple kitchen ingredients and DIY equipment, you can cook up nutritious treats to satisfy even the pickiest bee appetites. I hope this guide gives you the confidence to start making and implementing sugar bricks in your own hives. The reward of a thriving colony emerging next spring makes all the hard work worthwhile. Stay sweet!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Temperature is Best for Drying Sugar Bricks?

Between 115-170°F is ideal. Higher temperatures may burn off beneficial nutrients. Monitor carefully if using an oven.

Can I Adjust the Amount of Citric Acid in Sugar Bricks?

Yes, you can experiment between 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per 2 cup sugar batch. Don’t exceed 1/4 tsp or acidity gets too high.

Is Plain White Sugar Better Than Brown Sugar for Bees?

Yes, plain white sugar is best as it’s more easily digestible for bees. Avoid brown sugar or sugars with additives.

Should I Wrap Dried Bricks Before Storing Them?

Wrapping in plastic helps bricks retain moisture and prolong shelf life. Storing in a cool, dry place also helps.

Do Bees Eat All the Sugar from Bricks in the Hive?

Usually, though you may find some sugar debris under the bricks when replacing them. This helps keep hive floors clean.

For Further Reading:

• Making Sugar Bricks for Bees in the Freeze Dryer
• Beekeeping: A Quick Guide