Recipe... Candy consists of 1pt of water to 5 1Ib of sugar, boiled until the thermometer reaches 238F Add 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar per pound of sugar (breaks down the sugar crystals) IMPORTANT...  ALWAYS USE WHITE SUGAR...BECAUSE BROWN SUGAR GIVES BEES DYSENTRY! Method. Add 1pt of water to a large saucepan, bring to the boil. Turn Down the heat, then gradually add all the sugar, stirring continually until it has disolved. NB: Be very careful that the sugar does not stick to the bottom of the pan, or it will burn and will have to be thrown away. If this happens to you, do not be tempted then to feed the burnt sugar to your bees, or it might give them dysentry, and you will surely loose all of the colony. Once it has all dissolved, turn the heat back up, and bring to the boil for about 10 minutes or so, or until the sugar thermometer reaches 238F or when a drop of the hot solution dropped onto a cold saucer just forms a soft solid mass. It's best to purchase a sugar thermometer as it takes all the guesswork out of it. I bought mine in the local market hardware store for approx. £3.50. (1999 price) You don't need a fancy metal type, (much more expensive) as a plastic case will still give you an accurate reading!) When the temperature is correct, take the pan off the stove and place in a sink full of cold water for about ten to twenty minutes, or until the temperature drops to 200F or less, when the solution will begin to show white streaks and go solid around the edge. Important: Now stir vigorously until all of the syrup turns a white colour, before pouring into suitable containers. I used a large deep roasting pan (ask your wife first) lined with greaseproof paper. Aluminium foil containers used for "take away" meals also make ideal containers for candy, and may be better for individual 'portions' ready to place above the hole in the crownboard. NB. Don't try any shortcuts by pouring the boiled syrup into the container, without first allowing it to cool and then stirring it, as it will not then set........... I've tried it! It will be soft and sticky, and using it like this may drown the bees! Feeding the Candy to your bees... When ready to feed, simply cut up the candy into suitable size shapes, and place onto the cover board, directly over the feed hole. Then, place an empty super above the cover board, and seal this from the outside air in order to prevent other bees and wasps gaining access to the Candy. Beware of squashing any bees when the slab of candy is put in place. There is no need to remove the greaseproof paper, the bees will do it for you, and in any case it will act as extra insulation for them whilst they are consuming the candy. After feeding the candy, check it once a week, as depending on the size of your colony, it's amazing how quickly they will consume it. Remember... Feeding your bees NOW will help ensure their survival over the rest of the Winter. If all goes well, then they will surely reward you for your efforts by producing a bumper crop of honey in the Autumn of next year. Bees have been around for millions of years, and I believe we should now help them through these difficult times, until such time as they are able to adapt and destroy this killer mite without human aid.
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