Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: Anonymous on October 02, 2004, 12:20:09 pm
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which feeders is better? Top feeder, external feeder, or the one thats with the frames? I want one thats gonna be best for my future bees, enabling them to be more productive.
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My favorite is a gallon glass pickle jar with 4 - 1/16" holes drilled in the lid inverted over the inner cover hole.
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I use pretty much the same technique as Robo, although I put more holes in the lid, and just use a nail. Having more holes hasn't caused the jar to loose vacuum, and they take it very fast.
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I find it hard to find gallon jars, so i use a boardman feeder. Just stay away from those frame feeders, I lost hundreds of bees from drowning with one of those
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I find it hard to find gallon jars
Ask at your local deli, they are usually free for the asking.
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or go shopping at your local mega mart
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Thanks ya'll, I knew I could count on ya for advice. Do you have pics of the jar type feeders? I can't picture it, Im gonna check on the boardman too , do you have a pic of it in the hive?
Debbie
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Here is a picture of the gallon glass jar.
(http://robo.hydroville.com/albums/Misc/DCP_0009.thumb.jpg)
click image for larger view (http://robo.hydroville.com/html/modules.php?set_albumName=Misc&id=DCP_0009&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php)
Here is a picture with a quart jar, but I use the gallon jars in the same manner with a deep super around it.
(http://www.bushkillfarms.com/photos/d/184-2/DCP_0008.jpg) (http://www.bushkillfarms.com/photos/d/183-1/DCP_0008.jpg)
click image for larger view
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ok, so the ventilation holes keep the syrup from molding? With the holes on the lid of the jar it isnt constantly dripping?
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No, the ventilation box really has nothing to do with it, except the quart jars fit nicely inside. With the gallon jar, I just use a good old deep super with no ventilation holes.
To prevent the syrup from molding, you can add a Tbs of cider vinegar, some HoneyBHealthy, or equivalent.
The inverted jar forms a vacuum and does not drip. You should not use plastic, because it expands and contracts with temperature fluctuations and does drip.
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Heres a picture of my boardman feeder.
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid141/pe34302e15999c9d85ca3b922742a2f7a/f6c3556d.jpg)
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Here is a feeding box model which I have used 20 years. It is 8 liters.
(http://www.hunajayhtyma.fi/tuotetieto/kuvat/syottolaatikko8l.jpg)
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Whichever feeder you choose, try to use an internal, rather than an external feeder to guard against robbing. That is why all of the pickle jars you see being used are covered with a large super. BeeMax also makes a good hive top feeder.
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Does sugar water "wick" well? If so would a tupperware bin with felt (or something like felt) allow for more feeding and no worries of spilling your sugar water or drowning your bees?
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It won't wick too well. Felt might soak up the sugar water, but I would imagine only if you placed it on top of the sugar water. But then will it float? or get too saturated and sink? I'm not sure on that. But it wouldn't work to put part of the felt in the container, and part out. Thin strips of wood float on sugar water though. If you're trying to think of some way to use just any ol' container (a large square tuperware for instance), my thoughts would be to place something other than felt in there. Unless you experiment and find the felt floats fine - and actually DOES soak up a little of the sugar water. But another suggestion might be making a "raft" of thin strips of wood. But will the bees get too wet and have to spead out more to get at the sugar water? Could this be rather cold for them?
Really though, the inverted glass jar is very easy and works great. But one key to the inverted jar is making the holes in the lid very small. I have my husband do this since he's stronger than me. We use a sewing needle, and he holds it with needle nose pliers - then pushes it down into the lid for several holes. A nail is too large.
I use a couple pickle jars and just place them over the ventilation area on my home-made inner covers. (My inner covers don't have just one hole in the middle, but instead have an open strip all the way down the middle.)
Beth
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I'm going to try this hivetop feeder this coming year got 5 of them .
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=409
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The problem I have with the inverted-jar type feeder is that the sugar comes out of solution and ends up plugging the holes. I've tried boiling the syrup beyond the point where all the sugar dissolves, and invariably, after a cold night, the holes gum up.
Any suggestions?
-- Kris
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Actually, I was referring to wicking sheets as in bottom feeders for plants. Placing part of the felt in the sugar water and a big mat outside of the sugarwater container, allowing the mix to "wick" up the mat and to a safe place where the bees can drink.
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Thin strips of wood float on sugar water though.
If you heat the wood strip and let is soak bee wax inside, it keeps it's floating features. Otherwise wood becomes waterlogged .
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I have never had a problem with useing wood. I do nothing to it - just useing a thin strip and toss in the frame feeder. I've been useing the same strip of wood since I started (8 or more months? in the last 18 months).
Beth
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The problem I have with the inverted-jar type feeder is that the sugar comes out of solution and ends up plugging the holes. I've tried boiling the syrup beyond the point where all the sugar dissolves, and invariably, after a cold night, the holes gum up.
Any suggestions?
-- Kris
I have been having the same problem
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That is one of the reasons I posed my earlier question about wicking... if it wicks correctly.. no plugging
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Does the jar just sit up side down on the wood? Wount it water log and mold? I am talking about the way robo feeds with the jar, I couldnt get the pic on my post for some reason, bye[/quote]
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Here is how I modified My frame feeders the first time. I don't use them much any more since I found the pickle jars work so much better with a 1/16th inch hole drill ed in the lid twice. I also run the suyrp thru a blender befor putting it in the jars so all the sugar gets desolved and mixed in really good, I have no problem then.
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/pe6bd59dd3328c8a68dcfc4de622dbe2c/fc392641.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/pca969cce936d47b91598a82b2b907fee/fc39263b.jpg)
I latter used small blocks of wood screwed in place rather than the wire ties to stop the spreading of the frame feeder. Ya I have heard all the don't use them stuff because they take up the room of a brood or honey frame. Not if you place them inside an empty box above just as a empty box is above/around the pickle jar. I feel the best time to use them though is in the spring when the girls have broken cluster once and for all.
:D Al
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How often do you have to refill that frame feeder?
I heard that the two cons to them are that they have to refilled often and you lose one of your frames in the trade.
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I am worried about my bees drownning in the frame feeder. How much of a concern is this? Thanks, bye
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My frame feeders were modified with screen hot glued up the sides and ends. There were also in the beginning wire ties to keep them from bulging and a float with holes drilled in them for the girls to land/stand on while getting their fill. So for me drowning was very little since they had a place to feed from and the screen to crawl out of them.
Yes in colder months you do loose a frame if you install the feeders in the main hive. Once it was warm enough during the day but nothing around for the girls to gather I placed two frame feeders inside a box with insulation 4"thick on each side. The feeders hold a gallon and it depends on how much the girls are feeding as to how often you need to fill them.
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/pe6bd59dd3328c8a68dcfc4de622dbe2c/fc392641.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/p15110ca3a298ef18b1f008009b190d54/fc392635.jpg)
(http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/pbf5a1b4c83ae2eb81c74eb00854986f2/f985d688.jpg)
:D Al
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Thanks al, that answered alot of my questions. I just dont want to make any death traps for my bees. bye
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I would stay away from the frame feeders. I even call mine the death trap feeder, I used to dump literally hundreds of dead bees from it. :(
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I have three way to put food into hive.
1) I take food (a frame) from another hive.
2) A tiny measure ( some 1-3 liter) I pour directly into combs.
3) I give bigger measures with feeding box, 3-8 liter or more.
I have no system, but feeding is problem at all.
When I had self made feeding boxes, I had plenty of problems. Wasps for example.
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Will some one PLEASE tell me about the system that robo uses. I like the jar and super idea but no one will give me any info on it. I was wandering if it makes a large mess, about how often do you have to re fill it, and if it water logs the wood super. Thanks to who ever can give me this info, bye
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Will some one PLEASE tell me about the system that robo uses.
It is old trick. Take a glass container and a food plate. Put water in the container and a plate onto the mouth. When you twist that upsides down , water is locked inside.
Put the system on the tabel. Put 3 sticks between container and plate. It comes some water on plate and bubbles go into container.
When bees absorb sugar solution, liquid takes air bubbles and solution stays at same level.
Box enclose bees and system inside, and robbers cannot come to take liquid. Also warm stays inside.
In Finland professionals use same trick. They take a 10 liter plastic bucket, cover on and they make little holes into the cover. That system upside down, and liquid stays inside. When bees take liguid from holes, bucket takes air bubbles.
The cost of system is 2 euros. It needs a Langstroth box to enclose the system. I have used it, but I do not like it. Not handy.
Surely old fashion... :wink:
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The way I use the gallon jars from the pizza place is.
(1 clean them.
(2 drill two 1/16 holes in the lid about and inch apart (I drill them in line toward the center and mark the direction with a sharpie so I can look thru the bottom when placeing them over the intercover hole.
(3 fill with suyrp mix (spring 1:1 or fall 2:1).
(4 remove outer cover invert jar and place lid side down with holes over intercover hole.
(5 since the jars are a bit taller than one deep (9 5/8") I use two supers (6 5/8") to surround the jars, then replace the outercover.
They will not mold the intercover as the holes do not leak on the wood. How often you have to fill them depends on how fast the bees take the suyrp. Perhaps one hive will go thru a gallon a week because they are stronger. Perhaps the next hive uses one gallon every two weeks because they are not as strong.
:lol: :lol: Best of all you can get the jars free at most pizza places just for the asking and a thank you.
They now call me when they have four empty ones and they clean them for me. Yes I also buy a pizza once in a while from them.
:D Al
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to keep 2-1 sugar from plugging the feeder holes start with boiling water. add sugar and LOWER the heat. don't boil after the sugar is added. you will super saturate the solution by boiling off too much water. use just enough heat to mix sugar completely. when mix is clear i jar it and cool in a cold water bath. if you still have problems add more water to your mix.