Bee hive feeders provide an effective means of providing bees with sustenance during cold weather conditions or when their stores run low. There are various models on the market.
Frame feeders are an efficient solution that are widely used. These miniature feeders fit within the frames in a deep box or on top of medium super.
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Entrance Feeders
Entrance feeders fit directly into a standard-size mason jar, making refilling them quick and simple without disturbing the colony. They are popular because they allow you to easily monitor their level without opening up your hive; however, due to being exposed to weather elements they often attract robbers as well.
Frame feeders work similarly but are made out of wooden frames instead. These feeders can be useful when installing new colonies as a package, as it may be difficult for them to gather resources on their own at first.
Internal top feeders provide another means of feeding brood boxes without inviting robbers; these feed beneath the outer cover and reduce robbers while holding much more syrup than entrance feeders and are easy to refill. They may trap moisture that causes moldy and sticky bees, or cause spillages which require extensive clean-up efforts.
Frame Feeders
This type of feeder fits on top of the inner cover and offers bees easy access to syrup without opening their hive. Featuring a cap-and-ladder system that prevents bees from creating burr comb, this sturdy model comes for both 8-frame Langstroth equipment as well as 10-frame Langstroth equipment.
It replaces a medium box and holds approximately 3 gallons, and features internal partitions that enable you to add feed on different nights, for instance on night one add two cups to compartment 1 and on night 2 use all available cup space (for instance two in compartment 1 and then full cup in compartment 2).
These feeders should be installed when first setting up a hive with bees from a package, or after robbing has occurred to provide food sources that otherwise wouldn’t exist for the colony. Likewise, during nectar flows they provide additional sources of sugar to aid with bee feedings.
Top Feeders
Top feeders differ from entrance feeders by fitting directly on top of the inner cover of a beehive and frame feeders by being suspended within. They usually consist of a plastic reservoir for holding syrup, hardware cloth for blocking access from below and a cone-shaped lid with ridges to allow bees to travel up and down without falling off.
Top feeders are typically utilized during spring and fall seasons, although beekeepers in warmer areas of the country use them year-round to ensure their colonies build and store enough supplies for winter. Easy to inspect and refill, top feeders make beekeeping less disruptive for colonies while protecting sugar water from being stolen by pests like robbers. Plus they protect it from rainwater exposure!
Internal Feeders
Many bees spend their summer and fall storing resources that will enable them to survive as winter nears. When these reserves run low, bees must leave their hive in search of food; however, this puts them at risk from harsh elements as well as potential predators.
Internal frame feeders can help prevent this. Available from bee stores or for DIY-ers alike, these replace one of the Langstroth frames in your hive with small round holes that the bees use to climb into an enclosed cone covered by a durable plastic cup and travel upward.
This type of feeder must be replenished frequently – typically daily – as opening up the hive can disrupt bees and make them defensive, leading to more likely stings. Checking sugar levels without taking apart an entire feeder is difficult in cold weather; therefore some beekeepers opt for baggie feeders as an alternative solution.
