Internal hive top feeders are placed directly on the top of brood boxes, aligning with a hole in the inner cover. They hold an incredible amount of sugar syrup and are very easy to refill. These hives are considered completely immune to invasion, as only the bees can get at them. Most beekeepers suggest not moving the hive if the top feeder is full. This way, your bees won’t have to worry about invasion and will always have a fresh supply of sugar syrup.
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Gooday
If you have been trying to keep bees for some time, then you’ve probably come across the Gooday top feeder. Designed with strength and security in mind, this top feeder can be installed with open corners, corner caps, or central access. The design allows for 5 different areas where the bees can feed. It’s very easy to install and use, too. Here are some benefits of this top feeder.
The main difference between a frame feeder and a top feeder is their capacity. Generally speaking, a top feeder can hold four gallons of syrup. In comparison, an eight-frame feeder can hold around three gallons. A ten-frame feeder can hold approximately four gallons of syrup. A top feeder is ideal for hives with a minimum of eight frames. This type of feeder is relatively inexpensive, and comes in a variety of sizes.
Rapid Bee Feeder
A Rapid Bee Feeder is a container for feeding bees that fits on the top of the hive. Most top feeders are shallow, with a central hole and hardware cloth to prevent bees from drowning. A top feeder fits 8-frame Langstroth equipment. Their capacity varies between manufacturers, but generally hold three to four gallons. A top feeder is a good choice for a small colony or for feeding quickly in the fall.
A Rapid Bee Feeder can be made from high-quality plastic and is environmentally friendly. It is easy to install and is incredibly portable. Beekeepers can even use it to feed their top feeder bees on-the-go. The bucket can be filled with syrup, and a straw inserted in the top of the feeder helps the bees avoid drowning. This feeder also features a raft-like float, so the bees won’t drown in it.
Hive Doctor
The Hive Doctor for top feeder bees is an excellent choice for a large number of reasons. It offers a wider capacity than standard feeders, has an integrated ready-to-use rim, and eliminates the need for an outer timber box. Its multiple feeding ports enable easy access for your bees to the syrup that they need. It also locks the feeding ports so that no bee drowns.
Top feeders are useful for winter feeding, but you must ensure the size of the top feeder is big enough. To make sure that your bees have sufficient space to work on the sugar syrup, the top feeder should not have a chimney cap. In addition, raw sugar is preferred over dry sugar as it has moisture that bees prefer. If you must use dry sugar, you can add a wet sponge to give it moisture.
Toughtimbers
A Toughtimbers hive top feeder is a simple, yet effective solution to feeding your bees. The Toughtimber top feeder features several compartments and a center access for easy syrup access. It is designed for 10-frame hives and ships glued and stapled, making it easy to install. The Toughtimber top feeder weighs about 15 pounds and has a capacity of two gallons.
A top feeder is a shallow box that sits at the top of the hive. It holds syrup and is secured with hardware cloth. Most top feeders fit 8-frame Langstroth equipment, but there are many different models available. Some top feeders have four-gallon capacity, while others have three-gallon capacities. If you are using a 10-frame feeder, it is important to consider how much syrup it can hold.
Entrance feeders are the most popular type of feeder. Entrance feeders are typically made of an inverted jar on a wood platform. Bees can access the syrup via holes in the lid. Entrance feeders are convenient because you don’t have to disturb the colony when you check them, and you can easily add mite treatments if necessary. Entrance feeders also have the disadvantage of attracting robber bees.
