Kandy for feeding bees is considered an effective product that has a dough-like consistency. It is made independently or purchased, after which it is used at certain moments in the life of insects. Beekeepers know many options for preparing kandi, each of which has its own characteristics. This allows each beekeeper to choose the optimal recipe.
What is Kandy
Kandy is a special dough-like food for bees. It is made from honey, powdered sugar and additional additives.The texture of the mass is a solid substance, so it can easily be placed on the bottom of the hive or on frames.
The substance is used by beekeepers as winter feeding. It is also used for growing families in autumn and spring. For treatment and prevention, medications and special components are added to the composition - for example, pollen.
This type of food was first made many years ago. Its recipe was developed by the German Scholz. That is why in Europe this variety is still called by his name. Today there are many more types of this supplement. For example, for queens it is best to use the I.R. Gooda variety. However, it is considered quite soft, so it is not very suitable for winter. In Russia, kandi is most often used based on powdered sugar and honey.
Product varieties
Kandi for bees has 2 main types. The first variety is made using powdered sugar and honey. This feeding is a real delicacy. However, experts do not recommend using honey for safety reasons.
This top dressing tastes almost as good as the first variety, but brings significantly more benefits.
Beneficial features
This type of feeding is characterized by the following beneficial properties:
- The substance does not induce the colony to reproduce. It only slightly increases the activity of bees.
- The procedure for adding nutrients is considered simple and does not cause difficulties. Kandi is placed at the bottom of the hive, while sugar syrup can spill throughout the hive, contaminating the bees.
- Feeding helps activate the powers of insects.In spring and autumn, it encourages insects to work after a long rest in winter and long work in summer.
When to give?
The most important feeding is considered to be done in the spring. It affects the offspring and the amount of honey. The nutritional composition is introduced after the spring flight, which is performed for the first time. First you need to make sure the well-being of the uterus. Finish feeding at the end of spring.
Sometimes beekeepers feed bees during wintering. This is recommended when feed supplies are depleted. Sometimes this procedure is carried out purposefully to saturate the uterus with nutrients. To do this, it is recommended to use a high-quality composition prepared in accordance with all technologies.
Fertilizing in the fall is carried out after the last honey collection. The timing of candy application may vary depending on the region.
Usually the procedure begins in the second half of August and ends in early September. Late application of nutrients poses a risk to insects. In this case, there is a risk of young bees dying during syrup processing.
Cooking recipe
Today there are quite a lot of Kandi recipes. This allows each beekeeper to choose the appropriate option.
With flour
You can use flour to make kandi. It is best to use soy flour because it contains a lot of protein. This component must be gradually mixed with water, strictly observing the proportions. For 3 parts sugar you need to take 1 part flour.
With milk powder
To make your own kandi, it is recommended to take the following products:
- 3 kilograms of honey;
- 10 kilograms of powdered sugar;
- 1 kilogram of milk powder;
- some water.
The honey should melt slightly, after which it needs to be mixed with powder. At the next stage, it is recommended to add water and milk powder. From these ingredients you need to knead the dough, wrap it in cloth or gauze and put it in the refrigerator for a day.
Sweet fudge
To make sweet fudge at home, you need to take the following:
- 1 liter of water;
- 2 kilograms of sugar.
First, you need to heat the water to 60 degrees, then add sugar to it. Boil the syrup for 20 minutes. To check its readiness, you should lower the spoon into a container with syrup, and then into cool water. If a ball appears, you can say the fudge is ready.
The syrup needs to be poured onto wax paper. When the mass hardens, it is recommended to cut it into small squares. The finished product resembles 0.5 centimeter thick amber tiles.
With honey
To prepare kandi, you can use the classic recipe. It includes the following components:
- 73.8% powdered sugar;
- 26% liquid honey;
- 0.18% water;
- 0.02% vinegar.
To begin, place the honey in an enamel bowl, add water and heat to 55 degrees. Then the mass needs to be cooled to 40 degrees. Then you can add powdered sugar and vinegar. All ingredients must be mixed to obtain a dough consistency. It takes half an hour to knead it. Then it is recommended to divide the composition into convenient fragments and use it for its intended purpose.
Kandi Komarova
To make this type of kandi, you need to take sugar and honey in a ratio of 2.5:1. The components must be mixed and heated to 40 degrees. Then cool and knead into a thick dough.
For nosematosis
To cope with pathology or prevent its occurrence, it is recommended to add thymol or wormwood tincture to candy.It is important to adhere to proportions. So, for 10 kilograms of feeding, 3 grams of thymol are used. You can also use 1 tablespoon of wormwood tincture for 1 kilogram of kandi. In addition, it is permissible to use special drugs - “Nosemacid” or “Nozemat”.
Feeding rules
Kandy can be placed in the hive directly on the frames. The upper part of the bee house is always warm. Therefore, the cake will not freeze. In addition, it will be accessible from any streets below and on the side. There are 3 main materials in which kandi is wrapped before giving to the bees:
- plastic bag with small holes;
- parchment - you also need to make holes in it;
- multilayer gauze.
For one bee colony, 3-5 kilograms of kandi will be enough for the winter. If you prepare a large amount of the substance, it must be stored in the refrigerator. Before placing it in the hive, the composition must be heated to at least room temperature.
For medicinal purposes, bees need to be fed with honey and powdered sugar. In this case, the dosage should be 1.5-2 times less. To avoid crystallization of the fertilizer, there must be a positive temperature in the winter hut.
Kandy for bees is a popular nutritional option that is often given to bees. In order for the substance to give the desired effect, it is important to choose a good recipe and strictly adhere to the technology for preparing the product.
