Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: CapnChkn on September 02, 2011, 02:01:04 pm
-
I went to my hives, one with a feeder that's been going dry in about a day. Suddenly went dry in hours. We have had no rain for weeks now, and the grass is dying. I took the feeder off and moved it off the hive, only to have the bees stuff themselves in the cavity and either drown or suffocate. I took the jar off to see hundreds of dead bees packed in that contraption.
Open feeding seemed the only option. I found a bucket with a tight fitting lid, found a plan on the Interwebs, and drilled holes along the lip at the top of the bucket. The lifting ring was set completely to the point where the lid joined, so I had to modify it some.
As you may imagine, this feeder is wildly successful. They're going through a gallon or 1:1 in several hours. I also seem to be feeding the wasps and sweat bees.
http://allthemfiles.horizon-host.com/video/megabeefeeder.swf (http://allthemfiles.horizon-host.com/video/megabeefeeder.swf)
Edit: Oh I see! I said, "found a plan on the Interwebs." Sorry! There were no drawn plans, there was a plan (I am now grinding at semantics.). The author at the page I give below writes a paragraph telling how he modifies a 5 gallon bucket to make feeders for his pollination business.
http://www.mottbeefarms.com/wordpress/?p=198 (http://www.mottbeefarms.com/wordpress/?p=198)
-
So are you feeding 1:1 in this, or mega bee?
-
HO-Ho!
Um... I didn't know there was a Megabee. Nope, I've just been mixing sugar and water. No HBH, no flavoring, no bee magic of any kind except to use a sandwich bag, piece of cloth, and a drop of Lemon grass oil to get them to come to it in the first place.
I must now callit the MONDO bee feeder and liposuction.
-
How about a link to the plans?
-
There really aren't any plans. It's like a giant mason jar. Find a bucket with a tight fitting lid. Fill it with water and turn it upside down. Let it set for a while to see if it will leak. Place a 1/32" (1 mm) drill bit in your drill motor and drill a hole every so often around the lip of the bucket. I made them about 1/2 (13 mm) inch or less. Make sure the closed lid doesn't block the holes.
You will probably want to keep the rain and sun off it, the rain will drown the bees who got too excited, the sun will warm the feed until the air pushes it out the holes. I find they fight a little, and there was about a dozen dead bees on that bottom board I'd put the feeder on, but I couldn't tell you if it was because of fighting, overeating, the heat, or they had overworked themselves.
-
well how about a pic of this magical feeder?
-
There's a video Joe! You can see it in all it's glory! If it's not running, right click and make sure the "play" option is checked.
http://allthemfiles.horizon-host.com/video/megabeefeeder.swf (http://allthemfiles.horizon-host.com/video/megabeefeeder.swf)
-
sorry man it was slow to open. I like that, but unfortunetly my yard is in my horse pasture. That would be too tempting for my monsters. Bit it makes me think. Do you have a link where you found the plans?
-
I think what we are asking for is pic of where you drill the holes ? In the bucket rim or the lid ?
-
that's what I meant. :-X actually I just bought a paint bucket to makes a collins type feeder to put on my hive top to make sure they have winter stores.
-
Like I said above, on the side, around the lip where the bees in the video are going. There are no plans. Here's the guy who published it.
http://www.mottbeefarms.com/wordpress/?p=198 (http://www.mottbeefarms.com/wordpress/?p=198)
-
that makes more sense :)