Hivetop feeders are an effective way to provide your bees with sugar syrup when the weather is not ideal for foraging. Furthermore, they offer an easy means of medicating your bees when needed.
These feeders are specifically designed to fit a hive’s top box and typically crafted out of wood or plastic. They can hold up to three gallons of syrup and allow you to refill without disturbing your hive.
Contents
What is a Hivetop Feeder?
Hivetop feeders offer an appealing and cost-effective solution for beekeepers seeking an efficient way to feed their bees. This type of container holds sugar syrup, allowing you to refill without opening the hive, providing a simple method for keeping your colony well fed.
The hivetop feeder is an excellent way to feed new bees or help existing ones survive the winter months. Most hivetop feeders are designed for either an 8-frame or 10-frame Langstroth hive and made of durable materials that will withstand constant use.
Hivetop feeders come in all shapes and sizes, holding from one to four gallons of syrup. Popular models include the Ultimate Hive Feeder and Rapid Bee Feeder; however, there are many more to choose from as well.
Benefits of a Hivetop Feeder
Hivetop feeders provide a convenient way to feed your bees without opening the hive. Some top feeders deliver sugar water, while others provide solid winter food.
Hivetop feeders are simple: A shallow box with a reservoir and hardware cloth on top that allows bees to access syrup without drowning. While designs vary, all have one thing in common: They sit atop an upper box while an empty hive box surrounds them to protect it from sunlight, wind, rain, and robber bees.
One of the primary advantages of a hivetop feeder is that it requires less time to refill than a pail feeder. This can save you money in the long run as you won’t need to spend as much energy monitoring your hives and refilling their pails.
Hivetop feeders require a lower initial investment than pail feeders, such as a 10-frame hive top feeder with floats at around $27 compared to $9 for two-gallon pails.
How to Install a Hivetop Feeder
Hivetop feeders are an excellent way to provide extra food for starving bees without opening the hive. Plus, they’re a fun and educational project for beekeepers who want to try their hand at carpentry.
Hive top feeders come in sizes to fit 8-frame Langstroth and 10 frame hives, usually holding more than a gallon of syrup. They’re an affordable, straightforward device that can provide bees with nutritious food for months on end.
The ideal hivetop feeders are engineered with beekeepers in mind and prioritize quality materials. By choosing appropriate materials and performing proper installation, your top feeder can last for years to come – at about the same cost as buying one ready-made from your local hardware store. Since it’s one of the most important pieces of equipment in your apiary, ensure it remains secure and well taken care of.
What Type of Hivetop Feeder is Right for Me?
What type of hivetop feeder you select depends on the needs of your hive. For instance, if you live in the northeast, baggie style might be preferred.
Baggies are convenient and require a small frame beneath the hive’s inner cover to hold plastic zipper bags of syrup. The bags are held in place with a spacer rim, and an access hole is cut to let bees access their food.
A hivetop feeder is an effective way to provide your bees with food without disrupting their daily schedule. It’s especially useful in spring when weather can be unpredictable and access to sugar syrup may be limited.
Hivetop feeders come in three main varieties: external, internal and inverted jar/can.
