Rapid feeders for honey bees provide an easy and economical solution for providing them with sustenance. Their refill system makes refilling even simpler – ideal for new colonies or when extra support is needed during fall months.
A boardman feeder consists of a Mason jar placed directly above the entrance to your hive. Easy to refill and monitor, but potentially inviting theft.
Contents
Capacity
Bees can survive independently for the most part of the year without needing extra feeding from beekeepers, but occasionally require assistance due to limited resources or adverse environmental conditions that prevent foraging. When this is necessary, extra feed needs to be provided by beekeepers so as to ensure colony survival.
Bee feeders come in various shapes and sizes, making it essential to understand their operation before selecting one for your apiary. The ideal feeder should be easy to use so that you can monitor and replenish it without opening up your hive.
An entrance feeder consists of a mason jar placed above the inner cover of your hive, making it simple for beekeepers. But be wary when positioning this feeder too closely as this can attract robbers. A top feeder holds three gallons of syrup at once and allows easy monitoring from outside your hive.
Material
While bees primarily depend on pollen, nectar, and their own honey stores for sustenance, they may require feedings from time to time – particularly early in the spring, during a dearth or just prior to winter. You will require an easy bee feeder made of high quality materials.
Entrance feeders, commonly referred to as entrance jar feeders, consist of a clear feed jar outside the hive that sits directly adjacent to its entrance and an easy-access feeding tray positioned within. They allow beekeepers to easily monitor sugar syrup levels without disrupting bee colonies or disrupting bee flight patterns.
An in-hive feeder is another type of bee feeder that replaces one frame within your hive and allows bees access through safe tunnels. It is ideal for new beekeepers as it is inexpensive and low maintenance needs; plus, its design makes disassembling and washing simple!
Design
Feeder designs should provide ample amounts of syrup quickly. This is particularly crucial when introducing new colonies or packages into an unfamiliar location, to prevent their honey stores becoming depleted prematurely and enable progress forward.
Beekeepers have several options when it comes to frame feeders available to them, but one of the most favored models is known as the Boardman feeder. This model utilizes a mason jar filled with feed placed above the entrance of their hive; this enables bees to access it without leaving their home and makes monitoring their feeding level simple.
Miller feeders offer another solution, featuring an easy to use feeding gallery running along its length, offering space for 85 bees at one time to be fed from. Refills of this type are straightforward without disrupting your hive’s structure.
Price
There is an assortment of bee feeders on the market. Your choice should depend on your specific needs and type of hive you have; some feeders may be more budget friendly while others provide instant visibility of feed levels without opening your hive.
An entrance feeder consists of a jar that sits outside the hive with an attached feeding tray that bees can access through a small opening inside it, providing a quick way to monitor syrup usage at a glance, as well as quickly replenish its supply.
Boardman feeders, which sit above an inner cover and use a center cup to encase bees as they move up and down, work great with deep roof hives; liquid feeding as well as dry pollen feeding can both be done successfully with this feeder, making refilling effortless while simultaneously helping prevent robbing.
