There are various methods of feeding bees; some of them can be easy, cheap and quick; while others require more work but can prove worthwhile in the end.
One popular feeder type for beehives is the division board type placed inside of them. This feeder tends to cause less robbing and is easy to fill, though it does run the risk of drowning bees.
Contents
Mason jar
Honey bees can be fed via various methods. From traditional entrance jar feeders to more innovative boardman feeders, each offers something different when it comes to feeding their bees – from easy access to cheap pricing options – with colder climates making foraging difficult or impossible altogether.
The basic Boardman feeder is a white plastic feeding tray designed to fit inside of a standard mason jar with a metal lid equipped with pre-punched holes that enable sugar syrup to pass freely when inverted, providing bees with easy and affordable feeding solutions.
To create your own mason jar bee feeder, take a large pickle jar and punch 6-8 small holes through its flat portion with a nail from inside out (punch from within to outside). Fill your jar with sugar water, filling from inside out. Finally install it into a feeding tray for use.
Bucket
A bucket bee feeder is a popular feeding method among beekeepers. It consists of an inverted container containing liquid syrup that allows bees to access it via vacuum or air pressure, making this system simple, economical, and accommodating large quantities of syrup at once. While it can be easily constructed and affordable to run, leakage issues should always be taken into consideration before placing one into operation.
This type of feeder is an ideal option for new beekeepers as it’s both cost-effective and straightforward to operate. Plus, it can easily be placed near the hive and less likely to drown bees than some other types. Plus, bees reach it more quickly. A bucket filled with sugar syrup is then filled up and flipped upside-down over the hole in the hive cover until ready for use – though some bees might drown if left open too long so be sure to regularly inspect and clean out your feeder for best results.
Frame feeder
A frame bee feeder (also referred to as a division board feeder) is designed to hold three gallons of syrup without disrupting the beehive and make refilling easy without upsetting it. They’re especially handy when feeding strong colonies that use up their supplies quickly or during inclement weather that makes outdoor foraging impractical.
One drawback of a plastic frame feeder is that bees often build comb in its syrup, reducing capacity and leading to fermented honey production. Furthermore, bees may drown if they fall into it unless they can scale its smooth walls for escape.
To avoid these issues, some frame feeders offer bees a ladder system to aid them in reaching the syrup, as well as textured walls which give traction to help climb. Most frame feeders also come equipped with an easily assembled cap-and-ladder combination system.
Bag feeder
One of the easiest and simplest ways to create a bee feeder is with a plastic bag. Simply cut a slit in one end to allow bees access to sugar syrup; this type of feeder is particularly effective during June gap periods when additional feeding may be necessary.
Always ensure that you use plain white table sugar in your feeders – any other types of sugar may contain parasites and diseases which could spread to bees.
Some beekeepers use special feeder bases designed to hold two jars at once. These bases are attached to the wall of their hive and raised off of the ground; this way, refilling your jars won’t leak onto bees within the hive when refilling them. Also, it is wise to boil your sugar water prior to placing in your jars in order to kill microorganisms and prolong its shelf life.
