When feeding bees, a gallon-sized Zip-lock bag can do the job. Fill it about three-quarters of the way up and check for leaks. Then place the baggie on top of the frames. Place a shim on top of the hive to allow room for the baggie. Next, cut a slit in the center of the bag with a razor blade. The slit should be on the flat surface of the bag, not the curved surface. The beekeeper can use several bags at a time.
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Pollen patties
Pollen patties are a great way to provide more food to your bees. They’re a very simple recipe. All you need is pollen substitute, cane sugar, and water. The amount of water you add will depend on the consistency you want. The patties will last for months in the freezer. To make them, you can follow this tutorial from Carolina Honey Bees.
Pollen patties are typically given to bee colonies to promote increased brood production. The best time to give them this food is early spring, before the nectar has begun to flow. This is when the bees need the extra food to continue their work of building comb.
Pollen patties are a great alternative to feeding your bees with sugar water. They are inexpensive and can be purchased online from Amazon. You can place them on the top of your frames under the lid. The bees will feed off them as they need them.
Boardman feeders
Beekeepers can create their own Boardman feeders for bees using readily available materials. You will need a plastic container with a lid and wide enough opening to hold a large amount of syrup. Make sure that the lid does not cover the top of the container.
The first step in using Boardman feeders is to prepare the sugar syrup. First, cut a small slit in the top of the bag. Do not cut too deeply, because you will end up slicing the honeycomb. Make sure that the slit is not too wide because you do not want to let any air out of the sugar syrup. Once the slit is made, carefully press the bag against the frames to hold it in place.
Bees love the taste of sugar syrup, so the ratio of sugar to water is important. Depending on the season, you may have to change this ratio. For spring, you need to use 1:1 sugar, while for winter, use 2:1.
Miller feeders
Ziplock bags are a great way to feed your bees. If you don’t want to put up a bee hive, you can buy a beekeeping kit that has a boardman feeder. This feeder is an inverted quart mason jar that the bees can get to. While it is a popular feeder, it can be robbing-prone. If you want to feed your bees without having to open your hive, you should make sure that the jar has been tightly closed.
The Miller feeder is a popular option and is named after its inventor, C.C. Miller. It is a deep container that sits at the top of the beehive, so bees cannot easily get in and out of it. These feeders come in different sizes, and the access point may vary between manufacturers. Larger feeders are easier to access, but they are not as efficient in colder climates.
One downside to using a baggie feeder is that you need to refill the bag frequently. When the temperature changes, it may leak out, drowning or freezing the bees. The advantage to this type of feeder is its price: they are typically inexpensive and can save you a lot of labor. The other downside is that they can be prone to mites and diseases.
Inverted containers for feeding bees
There are several benefits to using inverted containers to feed your bees. These containers are similar to a water cooler, and work by holding liquid inside through air pressure or a vacuum. They can be made out of a quart jar, a plastic pail, or a large bottle. The main benefit is that they can be placed over the hive without disrupting the bees.
Bees love to eat from inverted containers, so they’re a great way to make sure they get the right amount of food. Many people find that these containers are especially handy for feeding the top bars of their beehives. However, they can be heavy and may slip easily on rainy days. To avoid this problem, make sure the container is secure so that it won’t fall on your bees.
Beekeepers who have small colonies often use buckets inside empty boxes to feed their colonies. These buckets can be placed over the central hole of an inner cover and secured with a telescoping lid. This arrangement gives beekeepers easy access to their honey while keeping predators out. Beekeepers can also add medicine to the containers for added benefit.
