Med. Maxwell House Plastic Nuc Feeders

[BeeCurious]

These plastic coffee containers hold 3 quarts each.

The seal is not air tight so holes couldn't be poked in the lid...


Would bees be happy to feed from around the lid of an inverted container?

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj305/js06807/Maxwell/?action=view&current=IMG_0004.jpg

With a little force 3 might "fit" in a 5-frame nuc box.

[mwjohnson]

Hey BeeCurious
Great idea...I've thought the same thing many times.
I sure wish someone here who has tried to use these for feeding would reply...as I do tend to drink just a liiittle tooo much joe.

You're gonna make a fine beek with that kind attitude/thought process though ;)

Good Luck and have a ball,
Mark

[peggjam]

Actually, I think you could use gallon milk jugs as feeders. Just make sure you keep the cap, and poke the holes in a location that will allow you to reuse them:).

[tecumseh]

mr johnson writes:
I sure wish someone here who has tried to use these for feeding would reply...as I do tend to drink just a liiittle tooo much joe.

You're gonna make a fine beek with that kind attitude/thought process though

tecumseh replies:
well personally (and having some ties to Louisiana) I drink Community Club which comes in those little one pound vacume sealed bags so I don't think I qualify. on the other hand if drinking several pots of 'commercial strength' joe get you in the front door... I would most definitelyl qualify.

peggjam writes:
Actually, I think you could use gallon milk jugs as feeders.

tecumseh replies:
well I did construct one feeder this year from milk jugs and perhaps this might point you to how the maxwell house containers might be of some use in this regards. first I removed the top from a hive and then plopped down a queen excluder (likely not essential), followed by a shallow empty box. I then cut off six one gallon milk jugs saving the bottom 3 to 4 inch of the milk jugs.... six will firmly set in the box. place a handful of packing peanuts (or anything that will float) in each and fill with sugar water. I have not really measured the maximum content of this feeder but I suspect it is somewhere between one gallon and one and a half gallon. I think??? by going to a slightly deeper box and cutting the milk jugs a bit deeper I could likely have a feeder that would hold 3 gallons with no problem.

[MountainCamp]

If the lip seal is not airtight the container will not develop a good vacuum seal and they will continually weep.

Depending on the time of year, their consumption, and the weep rate, this may or may not be a problem.

[BeeCurious]

If the lip seal is not airtight the container will not develop a good vacuum seal and they will continually weep.

Depending on the time of year, their consumption, and the weep rate, this may or may not be a problem.

The "seal" would need to be worse for the coffee container to work just like a chicken waterer.

Has anyone provided "in hive" water to their bees? For urban beekeepers it seems that it could avoid bringing some toxins into the hive.


tecumseh replies:
well personally (and having some ties to Louisiana) I drink Community Club which comes in those little one pound vacume sealed bags so I don't think I qualify. on the other hand if drinking several pots of 'commercial strength' joe get you in the front door... I would most definitelyl qualify.

Techumseh,
Having spent some time on boats working the oil patch I'm familier with "Community" coffee. I bet your bees are "catching-a-buzz" from you.

[Oldbee]

I tried [tested] this recently with just water and an all plastic Folgers can. About a half-cup of water leaked out in an hour. I suspect each container may be different and need to be tested first. Syrup, being slightly thicker might work. Personally, I like the kind you can see the level of syrup. There are many other "free" containers that are clear plastic; none for coffee that I know of.

[peggjam]

My wife uses the milk jugs as waterers for her pumpkins and squash plants. We fill them up and then poke a small hole in the bottom and place next to the plant. They develop vacuum, because the jugs will wrinkle up as the water is removed. I think they will work in a pinch, just haven't tried them yet....but that is bound to change shortly....I hope:).

[Ben Brewcat]

Cut a hole or two in the top about 1" to 2". Put a cylinder of mesh poking down into the hole that goes to the bottom (sort of like a trapout cone). The bees will go down into the holes, using the mesh as a ladder, to get the syrup. If they fall the mesh is close enough they'll climb out. You don't have to worry about leaking since the lid is only to direct bees to the "manholes". Voila, poor man's hivetop feeder.