Feeding honeybees is an integral component of beekeeping, especially during spring when new packages are installed and fall when colonies run low on honey stores. There are various bee feeder options available to supplement colonies with additional sustenance.
Baggie feeders use plastic feed bags filled with syrup that bees can access by carefully slitting their sides. This type of feeder is quick and simple to fill up quickly while monitoring, yet may attract thieves.
Baggie Feeders
Baggie feeders are food-grade plastic baggies filled with sugar syrup that the beekeeper places over the inner cover, then allows bees to access through delicately slitting the bags. This prevents robbers from getting into the top of the hive and drowning in it.
These cheap and straightforward beekeeping systems are cost-effective yet simple to make, though their bags need to be changed frequently (daily is ideal). Furthermore, opening the hive to replenish them may disrupt beehives while also increasing exposure to bee stings for beekeepers.
For optimal results, place an empty deep box around the feeder to help deter robbing and use #8 hardware cloth over any holes through which the feeder goes to keep out any potential robbers. These methods of protection provide short-term feeding solutions during shortages or conditions which prohibit foraging while they also can be useful spring feeding if weather has delayed or interrupted natural pollen flow.
Entrance Feeders
These feeders consist of a tray that slides into the entrance of a beehive and an upside-down syrup container that fits over it. One advantage is being easy to keep track of feed levels and refill easily; the downside may be being exposed to winter elements that could freeze it over.
Feeders such as this one are popular choices for feeding new packages until they can forage for themselves or when queens begin laying, as well as for swarms.
These feeders consist of containers capable of holding three gallons of syrup that are inverted over the entrance hole on an inner cover and placed upside-down over it. Their lid should then be securely closed, and an empty hive body may be added over it to protect from robbing and ensure safe feeding conditions for bees. It’s simple and fast to check or refill this type of feeder without disturbing bees.
Top Feeders
These feeders sit atop your hive and can hold up to two gallons of syrup. Their designs vary, but most feature shallow boxes with a plastic reservoir for the syrup storage, hardware cloth for bee entrance, and wide open shapes to help bees find it without drowning, which speeds refilling. Its wide open shape also deters robbing while making refilling quicker than gravity or frame feeders, and you can remove its lid and inner cover without disturbing colony below; gravity feeders can leak due to temperature fluctuations or bad seals like gravity feeders are susceptible to leakage due to temperature changes or bad seals like gravity feeders can.
Another fast and cost-effective method for beefeeding is using a plastic bucket designed to fit snugly on the crownboard of an empty eke or super. Fill the bucket three-quarters full of strong syrup before adding sodden straws that can be pulled out to feed into feed holes dangling from its sides – this primes your hive before replenishing it further with syrup from its container.
