Nearly any upside-down container can serve as a bee feeder – whether that means using a quart jar, paint can or plastic pail as the foundation.
Frame feeders fit securely over the inner cover center hole and can easily be filled without opening up your hive, while being protected by a super above. Robbers cannot gain easy access to them either!
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Frame Feeders
Frame feeders are an effective method for feeding inside of hives, taking the place of medium frames to hold approximately one gallon of syrup. Frame feeders are increasingly common among large palletized operations due to their quick and efficient feeding capability; providing direct sugar syrup distribution year round while being less likely to attract robbers than other methods; however they must still be monitored regularly to maintain adequate feed levels for your colonies.
RancherMan prefers a version incorporating a ladder system to prevent bees from drowning, and finds refilling it straightforward; just remove the telescoping hive top, slide on frame feeder and fill. Once secured back on hive this method reduces disturbance and allows him to easily monitor syrup levels in feeder.
Baggie Feeders
There are various versions of bee feeders that utilize bags filled with syrup for bees to access. While they’re easy to use, bees may get confused if not handled carefully; use a brad nail punching a few small holes into a plastic freezer bag (preferably the kind with zip top closures), place over bee cluster close to hive, lower so syrup flattens against wall of hive and secure bag shut with zip tie firmly to maintain proper position for feedings.
The capacity of the bag is limited and must be filled regularly, even daily, which may necessitate opening your hive for refilling purposes, potentially disrupting bees and exposing yourself to stings; additionally it could result in drone or burr comb building up within the syrup if not sealed tightly enough. Finally, using white sugar, as this resembles nectar more closely, must not be mixed with dark sugars such as molasses that may be toxic to bees.
Miller Feeders
Miller feeders are top feeders designed with bees in mind, featuring a central crawl space where bees can enter from both sides to access it easily. As this space is fitted with wire mesh for additional safety, large amounts of feed can be delivered without bothering either bees or beekeepers.
These boxes are typically constructed of wood with its edges rabbeted and seams sealed using food grade sealant or beeswax for maximum bee control. Some are even equipped with screens to reduce robber bee entry while wooden floats may also be provided for additional safety.
One of the earliest forms of this type of feeder was created by C.C Miller in 1920 as a large hive top feeder that could hold over two gallons of syrup. Today these feeders remain popular, though some beekeepers prefer using plastic pails or cans which have less chance of mold growth and allow faster emptying/filling times.
Bottom Board Feeder
Bottom board feeders fit under the cover of a beehive and contain a feeding tray accessible to bees. While they can hold more syrup than top feeders, their syrup drips down onto the floor of the hive creating sticky-dead bee-esque mess that needs cleaning up periodically; moreover, being exposed to weather elements, they may need replacing during cold spells.
As your colony settles down and foraging increases, they’ll require less and less food from you, and eventually it is time to remove their feeder. When feeding bees white sugar is best as its composition most closely mimics nectar; avoid dark-colored sugars such as molasses as these may lead to sickly bees or death altogether. Which type of feeder best meets the circumstances and preferences of each beekeeper but ultimately all that matters is providing quality feed for their bees.
