Adding an in-hive bee feeder to your apiary is a great way to keep your bees happy and healthy. There are several different types, including sugar syrup, pollen substitute, entrance feeders, and covers. To learn which one is best for your particular hive, read on. This article will discuss each of these options. Also, learn how to use an entrance feeder. Once you have it installed, your bees will thank you for it for many years to come!
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Sugar syrup
One way to keep honey bees happy and healthy is to put a little sugar syrup in a hive bee feeder. The bees will swarm over the syrup and drown if they get too much. The syrup also attracts robbers. This method is usually achieved by hanging a mason jar upside-down over a wooden base that fits into the grooves of a hive entrance.
Pollen substitute
Using a pollen substitute in a bee hive will help your hive stay alive longer, and you’ll likely increase brood production. These alternatives are enriched with essential oils such as lemongrass and spearmint. You can also add them to your bird feeder or open hive, preferably during early spring when flowers are not yet blooming. If you’re unsure of the best pollen source for your bees, you can experiment with sugar water, ground corn, or a combination.
Covers
Beekeepers can choose between various types of feeders to feed their bees. An inner cover can double as a feeder board and has ventilation holes on either side. If you want to use a rapid feeder, you can place it over the center hole, while a mason jar can go over the outer cover. A telescoping top cover is another option. Regardless of the type of feeder, you must make sure the top does not block the hole.
Using an entrance feeder
Using an entrance feeder in a swarm hive is a great option for beekeepers who want to avoid having to re-fill their hives with syrup on a daily basis. The advantage of using this type of feeder is that it makes it much more difficult for bees to steal nectar or pollen. Plus, using an entrance feeder is easier than refilling a super with an inner board feeder. The entrance feeder is easier to refill since you do not need to remove the inner board cover. Bees do not go into the super to reach it and the notch is lowered. This notch lets cluster air rise to the feeder, which can be filled with medicine.
Using a top feeder
A top feeder is a type of bee feeder that sits on top of an upper hive box, protected from sun and robber bees. Top feeders are often necessary for new bee colonies, or to feed bees during the winter. You can purchase a top feeder from a beekeeping store, or make one at home. A top feeder will work just as well as a standard feeder.
Using a mason jar
There are a number of benefits to using a Mason jar as a bee feeder. Not only can you trap the bees inside, but the glass jar is also durable and easy to clean. When you place the jar into the hive, it should be placed near the entrance, so the bees can get to it easily. The sugar water will drip out of the jar through small holes. This forms a vacuum and allows several bees to drink at one time. Regardless of how you choose to feed your bees, you should be able to see that they are eating and drinking from the jar.
Using a frame feeder
Using a frame feeder in a hive is a great way to provide syrup to your bees in less time than you would otherwise spend feeding them. It allows you to refill the syrup quickly and avoid multiple visits that can waste your bees’ syrup. However, a frame feeder is not always a good choice. A frame feeder may contain too much syrup, and it can lead to a moldy mess in the hive.
