Zip lock feeding method?

[Ericnwicklow]

Hello all

Just read about this type of method of feeding
(Asciibarron thread) ,i have never heard of this method can anyone explain the method to me as i am curious ,thanks .

Regards Eric.

[JP]

Eric, instead of placing liquid feed in a jar, you put it in a zip lock baggie. Poke very small holes in the topside of the bag or is it the bottom, not sure if this matters, anyway others can chime in here. You place the baggie on top of the frames and the bees have a field day. Just make sure it is warm enough to feed as you don't want the extra humidity that liquid feed gives a hive to be an issue, they could get chilled. You could always warm the baggie and feed in the daytime, though, and remove the bag before late evening.


...JP

[buzzbee]

http://www.beesource.com/eob/baggie.htm

[tillie]

As Jennifer Berry points out, one of the great advantages of ziploc feeding is that the baggie is always warm.  It is right over the cluster of the hive and is heated therefore by the rising heat from the cluster.  This means it is always a good temp for the bees. 

I wouldn't "poke holes" as mentioned above.  When I used the baggie feeder, I put the baggie flat on top of the frames and take a very sharp knife and slice about a 3 inch cut in the baggie.  All of the enclosed air goes out, the baggie sinks and sugar syrup begins to pool in a tiny way around the slit where the bees gather to eat. 

It 's a cheap and efficient way to feed.  In the spring the main disadvantage is that you can't see how much the bees are taking so you don't know when they run out.  I just put a new baggie on each week while the girls are building out wax.

Linda T in Atlanta.

[asciibaron]

the method i saw in use was exactly that in the above link - put a slit in the 3/4 full baggie.  the pail i am using is problematic because it wastes a good deal of feed while inverting it.

-Steve

[Cindi]

Eric, when I feed my bees now, this is the method that I deploy.  I love the Zip loc baggie feeder.  I have found a post that I made to show the method and I hope that the pictures are clear for you to look at.  I have tried putting the baggie directly on the frames.  But I prefer to set the baggie on top of the inner cover and open the hole in the inner cover a little bit to allow the bees to come up to sip the sugar syrup. 

The most important thing about the baggie feeder is to not fill it too full, that causes leakage. When I make the incisions in the baggie, I use a very sharp exacto knife (or something of the like) and make several 1 inch slits across the baggie, horizontally to the frames, not lengthwise along the frames.  The baggie will flatten out as the bees reduce the liquid inside.  It is an exceptional method and I will always do this.

Please look at the post that I made, the pictures are self-explanatory.  Have a beautiful and greatest of these days, Cindi

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=13537.0

[Ericnwicklow]

Dear Cindi

That was a fantastic reply i will be trying this method most definately ,it looks very simple enough,should i only fill the bags 3/4 full?
Once again many thanks ,the photo,s really help.

Regards Eric.

[BeeHopper]

Of all the methods I have used to feed my bees, I'm stuck on the baggies  :-D

[KONASDAD]

baggies work well, but are consumed very quickly by a large overwintered hive. I use top feeders for them. I really do like the baggies for nucs though. You can always find the right size bag no matter how many frames your hive is, which is good. They are also inexpensive.

[tillie]

The only disadvantage to feeding with bags is that you can't see when it is empty without opening the hive.  I put a Boardman feeder on my swarm hive because they will be building up comb so quickly.

I left a full bottle on the swarm hive and two filled baggies on each of the other hives when I left town on Friday morning.  This afternoon (Sunday) both ongoing hives had completely emptied the gallon baggies, filled a little over half full on Friday.

What can I say? It's spring and they are building up like crazy.

Linda T in Atlanta

[annette]

This is the method I am now using. Previously I was using the Mann Lake top feeder. I like this method because it just gives a small amount of sugar syrup at a time which is good for this time of year when you do not want them to backfill the brood nest. I am trying to give them just enough to eat, but not to store right now. We will  have a flow coming soon and I do not want the sugar stored away.
I am placing a ziplock bag about twice a week on my strong hive which has so much brood. I let a few days go in between feedings

Annette

[JP]

This is the method I am now using. Previously I was using the Mann Lake top feeder. I like this method because it just gives a small amount of sugar syrup at a time which is good for this time of year when you do not want them to backfill the brood nest. I am trying to give them just enough to eat, but not to store right now. We will  have a flow coming soon and I do not want the sugar stored away.
I am placing a ziplock bag about twice a week on my strong hive which has so much brood. I let a few days go in between feedings

Annette

Excellent point Annette, you definitely don't want to over do it this time of yr. Build them up so you can keep up, or they will get ahead of you, and you'll be chasing them down outta some tall tree!  ;)


...JP

[Cindi]

Eric, when the zip loc baggies are filled, I  fill them so that when they are sitting flat that they are not bulging.  If they are bulging and you cut a slit in them, then the sugar syrup will pour out, and that is not a good thing.  So, in answer to your question, I don't fill them rightly full, yes, perhaps 3/4 full would be the good description.  The baggies should look slightly humped, not really flat looking, or else then too much space within the baggie is wasted.

Linda, you say that the only problem with the baggie feeder is that you can't see when the baggies are empty.  You must be putting them on the frame with the inner cover on top?  (that is a question, BTW).  Yes, that could be a problem to not be able to see how much is being consumed, that is why I put mine on the top of the inner cover, a shim houses this area so there is room for the bees to come up and drink and then the lid goes on the top of the shim.   Linda, did you look at my pictures in the thread that I put the link to?

When I feed the bees with the feeder bag, I can see exactly how much is being consumed.  That is because I place the baggie on top of the inner cover.  The inner cover has a hole in it with a plug.  I remove the plug and push it a little to the side so that only a few bees can get up at a time. 

When I got my inner covers none of the had any holes pre cut into them.  I asked my Husband to cut a hole on the end of the inner cover so that I could fit the baggies (one gallon ones) on top of the end of the inner cover.  I then fastened a piece of wood that I nailed onto that plug so I could lift it off the hole easily.  Hoping this little bit of further information helps more.  Have that beautiful day in this great life.  Cindi

[tillie]

I don't put them on top of the inner cover, but rather on top of the frames under the inner cover.  That way they stay warm through cold winter nights.  However, at this time of year they could certainly be on top of the inner cover. 

I do use a shim that I built to surround them, but it would work fine on top of the inner cover as well.  I'll have to see about the hole in the inner cover - there may not be a way to put the baggie on and not cover the hole. 

If there is a way to put it above the inner cover, I'll try that and let you know how the bees do with the new arrangement.

Linda T in Atlanta

[annette]

baggies work well, but are consumed very quickly by a large overwintered hive. I use top feeders for them. I really do like the baggies for nucs though. You can always find the right size bag no matter how many frames your hive is, which is good. They are also inexpensive.

Yes Konasdad,

I will still use the Mann Lake Feeders for Fall/Winter feedings, when the bees need to store up syrup for the winter. But I really like this method for spring time. Something new I just discovered here on the forum.

Take Care
Annette

[Cindi]

Linda, a thought......you probably have the inner covers with the hole in the centre.  A large zip loc baggie won't fit without covering the hole, you are right.  Maybe try this, a couple of quart size baggies instead of the gallon, that would work too.  Let us know how you make out.  Have this wonderful day to love.  Cindi

[Ross]

Baggies work well for a couple of hives at your house.  They are not nearly as convenient when you have a couple of dozen hives and you have to go to outyards.  They also don't hold much.  I quickly moved on to buckets.  They are easier to fill, in fact I make my syrup in the bucket.  They are easier to haul.  And they hold a lot more, 2 gallons in my case.  They are also cheap and reusable for several seasons or more.