A DIY honey bee feeder can be made using various materials. A jar filled with sugar water will do. Next, a lid will be placed over the jar. Rocks placed inside will act as a stand for the bees. Using corks or rocks will add another look to the jar. By following the instructions given in this article, you can make your own honey bee feeder for your bees.
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Make a honey bee bar
If you want to feed your honey bees without having to buy expensive food, you can make a simple, affordable feeder that the bees will love. A candy board and some duct tape will do the trick. Then, simply set the jars on the board. Then, just add honey and syrup and watch them happily eat their fill! To make the sugar syrup last longer, you can boil it first. When it is hot, add the sugar, which will dissolve much quicker.
Jay Smith bottom feeder
If you’ve got a large hive and wish to feed your honey bees more than one kind of food, you can use the Jay Smith Bottom Board Feeder. This feeder is a simple wooden dam that sits on the bottom board of your hive, one inch from the entrance. Alternatively, you can purchase a modified model that sits on less bottom board space. Because this feeder tends to drown a large number of bees, this product may not be right for your hive.
Inverted container bee feeder
The Inverted Container Honey Bee Feeder works on the same principle as a water cooler, retaining the liquid inside through air pressure or vacuum. The inverted container can be a quart jar, paint can with holes, or plastic pail with lid. All you need is a way to hold it over the bees and small holes. Inverted containers offer several advantages over conventional feeders. These include: a shallow lid that lets a thin layer of syrup flow onto the top of the jar without spilling out, and small holes for easy access.
Corks
You can make a diy honey bee feeder using corks. They have the same purpose as driftwood or sticks: they float in water and provide a safe place to land, hold, and drink. You can use any cork size to make your own honeybee feeder. The bottom part of the feeder does not need to be full of water. In fact, the corks should be no deeper than the top part of the body.
Pebbles or smaller river stones
You can create your own bee watering station by using small river stones or pebbles. Stones with rough surfaces are best for watering stations because they attract bees. Small stones can be used as stands as well as water containers. Stack several stones in the dish, two deep. Washable glue will dry in about two days, depending on humidity. Once the glue has dried, your bee watering station is ready for use. Make sure that you do not place any sugar water or honey in the container, as this will attract ants and cause a robbing frenzy.
Honey bee syrup
To make your own honey bee feeder, you will need some sugar bee syrup. You can purchase a gallon of sugar bee syrup from a local beekeeping supply shop or make your own using a quart-sized Zip-lock bag. Fill the bag about three-quarters full and place it on top of the frames. Using a sharp razor blade, cut a slit about 3″ wide and two inches long. Make sure to cut the slit on the flat top surface of the bag, not on the curved surface. This will prevent your honey bee feeder from overflowing when the air pressure varies.
Baggie feeder
In this DIY honey bee baggie feeder, you can feed bees a sweet, sugary syrup. The sugar syrup will be 1:1 in spring, and 2:1 during winter. The baggie should be large enough for the bees to easily fit in. The bees will drink the sugary syrup from the slits. Then, they will eat the honey and wax, and your homemade syrup will last for weeks.
