Refilling frame feeders can become time-consuming when your bees consume syrup quickly. They’re heavy and leave behind sticky mess – two things which will wear you down over time.
Round hive top feeders make feeding your bees much simpler. Designed to fit seamlessly into 8 or 10-frame Langstroth equipment, they’re completely enclosed so they’re safe from pests or weather elements and make for easier bee management.
Contents
Size
An addition to your beekeeping supplies should include a top feeder as an easy way of guaranteeing enough sugar syrup during times when bees don’t gather as much nectar for nectar collection. While preassembled top feeders are readily available, building your own for much less can also save on costs by using materials found around the home.
This round hive top feeder was created to give bees a safe place to feed without breaking open their hive. The ridged hole and cap help prevent drowning of bees while simultaneously feeding syrup or dry pollen into this convenient and versatile feeder.
This feeder fits into standard 8-frame or 10-frame Langstroth supers and can be placed over their inner cover for use with Warre hives, too. Drip free and translucent construction make refilling effortless!
Material
Bees generally spend summer and fall gathering enough food to last through winter; however, nectar flows may decline dramatically, prompting additional feeding through hive top feeders as nectar flows fluctuate with weather changes and seasons progress.
Traditional feeders consist of glass or plastic containers inverted over an inner cover, filled with sugar syrup or dry sugar and then sealed off to protect the beehive from animals or insects that would like to raid it.
Mason jars may also be utilized by beekeepers for convenient feed resupply without disturbing the hive, making monitoring from outside easier while offering large volumes. They’re susceptible to mildew growth; additionally, they might shift during high winds and spillover when shaken; in such an instance hive top feeders may be more suitable.
Design
If you’re new to beekeeping, this feeder offers an affordable and simple solution for getting started. It attaches securely to any mason jar and comes in packs so refilling becomes simple; fill with sugar syrup or dry pollen and feature floats to avoid bees drowning when feeding syrup.
This model is made to sit atop a 10-frame Langstroth hive and can be used during summer and fall (though some beekeepers in warmer areas use it year round). You can place it inside an empty hive body, outside it to protect from rain and robbers or inside an empty body to shield against rain and robbers; refilling is simple without disrupting cluster or opening hive; it’s also easy to clean without mold forming; this solution makes hive management simpler while saving precious syrup – you can buy online or locally at either location
Safety
Top feeders are intended to sit atop a hive and aligned with an entrance hole on its inner cover, aligned with an entrance hole for ease of placement and protection from sun, wind, rain and potential robbers. An empty hive box may then be placed over it to provide further security against sun, wind, rain and potential thieves.
These wide open feeders make filling faster and simpler compared to gravity or frame feeders, helping reduce chances of syrup spillage or theft from their colony. Refilling requires only that you remove their lid and inner cover to access their syrup reservoir.
These feeders also tend to be more durable than others on the market, meaning fewer replacements over time and saving you money in the form of reduced replacement needs and costs. Plus, their see-through glass construction makes monitoring feed levels simpler without opening the hive! In addition, their bases are painted white as an effort to encourage positive bee behavior while discouraging feeding from external predators.
