Inner cover with top feeder?

[D Coates]

I will be feeding a couple packages with hive top feeders. Do I put the top feeder directly on the deep or do I put the inner cover on first, under the top feeder? My inner covers have a small one inch hole cut in the front and back for ventilation and as a small top entrance.

I am concerned about using the inner cover at all during feeding as it could be an easy entrance for robbing if below the top feeder. If above the top feeder any bee that goes through the ventilation/top entrance is sure to drown.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Jim Williamson]

I don't use inner covers at all when using top feeders. It isn't needed.

[Michael Bush]

The main thing is not to leave a way for bees to come in the top and get into the feeder. A warped cover or a notch in an inner cover left exposed can result in large numbers of robbers drowning in your feeder in a feeding frenzy.

[tstrottman]

Make sure you do NOT put that inner cover with the notches in it on top of the feeder. You WILL lose a lot of bees that way. I made that mistake last year. You learn a lot your first year

[Brett]

Solve this problem. Put hardware cloth over the top of the feeder to keep bees from drowning.

[RonS]

I am using top feeders and the instructions and bee books all say that you do not use the inner cover with a top feeder.

Ron

[Kishwaukee Goldminer]

I discovered that I had lots of drowned bees due to using top feeders without any screening. Then I remembered my Norm's ventilated hive covers AND their screens that fit over the top feeder or super -- plus my home-made ventilated covers that use 1/8 inch screen (bees don't propolize that up as badly as finer screen). I put those on and that seems to have solved the problem.

Best wishes, Rich