Feeders for beehives can help when resources become limited or conditions prevent bees from foraging for food, as well as when medication must be used against mites.
Entrance feeders are jars that sit outside the hive with an attached feeding tray for bees to use, making it easy to check but difficult to restock during winter months.
Contents
Entrance feeders
Entrance feeders are an efficient and straightforward method for feeding bees. Consisting of a tray that sits inside the entrance of a hive and an upside-down container of syrup, these feeders make feeding bees straightforward while protecting their precious food source from air exposure and mold growth.
Frame feeders are another popular choice of bee feeder. These frames can take the place of one of the frames inside of a hive and come in plastic or wood finishes for ease of purchase and installation. With large capacities to store sugar water, frame feeders allow monitoring without opening up your hive, are less vulnerable to being stolen and more easily maintained than other bee feeders.
Be wary when using this type of feeder; opening up the hive more frequently may result in defensive behavior and increased risks of stings from bees that become dependent on it and stop foraging when removed.
Frame feeders
Frame feeders are an effective means of feeding bees. Easy to set up and suitable for feeding any type of hive, they’re attractive garden ornaments too – plus easy cleaning means filling them up with either water or sugar syrup – perfect for keeping bees hydrated in hot weather!
Rapid feeders feature clear plastic lids that make it easy to monitor how much syrup remains, but their capacity doesn’t compare to that of wooden frame feeders. Robber bee invasion can occur more easily, and they may freeze during colder seasons. Rapid feeders also don’t work well when used by colonies with queen or drone comb, as bees build comb on top of it which interferes with their flight path and capacity; wooden frame feeders may help prevent such issues.
External hive-top feeders
External Hive-Top Feeders differ from internal feeders in that they are situated outside the hive and accessible by bees from above. They are very durable and long-term solutions, while being easy to maintain if made out of mason jars – however these feeders may attract wasps or robber bees during winter feeding periods which is why internal feeders are preferable.
These feeders consist of a feed jar that sits atop the hive, as well as an access tray which slides into its entrance for convenient use. You can fill either with sugar syrup or dry sugar. With transparent trays allowing easy monitoring of levels of liquid. Plus, they are resistant to robber bees and pests making them great options for new beekeepers! Available as sets of two and easily moved between hives – making this an excellent solution.
Internal hive-top feeders
If you want to feed your bees without disrupting them, an internal hive-top feeder might be just what’s needed. These specially-designed containers sit atop of the inner cover and can easily be filled up again; with enough capacity for up to one gallon of syrup. They’re easily customizable with features such as adding floats or other features for optimal feeding results.
Feeders typically consist of large glass containers inverted over the entrance hole in an inner cover, either purchased from commercial manufacturers or constructed yourself using plastic pails or western supers. Most models feature a screen to prevent bees from drowning.
They feature two sections of galvanized wire mesh that act both as an interior ladder for bees to climb internally and an external barrier to prevent too much syrup being access and potentially drowning or flying out when refilling the box.
