top feeder - dead bees

[LD Hudson Valley]

Hello everyone,

I'm a first-year beekeeper and hived two colonies a few days ago. Used one of the brown plastic top feeders available from the major suppliers. When I checked the hives this morning, I found several hundred dead bees in each top feeder.

When I set things up, I put the inner cover on top of the top feeder, then the telescoping cover. I believe from research online I've now learned that I shouldn't have used the inner cover (although I can't quite figure out why). Can anyone confirm that I should omit the inner cover, and is there anything else I should be alert to regarding top feeder use to keep the bees from drowning?

Thanks so much. My mentor is also new to using top feeders and so can't resolve this one for me.

[thesurveyor]

The inner cover should be put on above the feeder. It sounds like the feeder did not have a grooved or granular surface for the bees to crawl down to the feed. Sounds like they slipped and fell in the syrup and drowned. I have a feeder that is somewhat as you described. I put a strip of hardware cloth for them to use as a latter coming out of the syrup.

If you have a pic, post it in the gallery...

[hsbcapt]

You are correct that you do not use the inner cover with this feeder. Just put the telescoping cover on top of the feeder. I have two of these feeders and don't care for them . I too lost about 2/3 of one package this year and am now using pickle jars. They are much safer.

[LD Hudson Valley]

I called the supplier and was told to make sure the bees weren't getting in through the top, possibly due to a warped cover. When I checked, I discovered that I hadn't put the feeder together correctly and had left a gap for bees to get in through the top. Did a quick fix and also weighted down the cover for good measure.

But now I'm confused. The dealer told me it was fine to use the inner cover ON TOP OF the feeder. What would be the reason for omitting it? I can see why you wouldn't want it under the feeder.

[thesurveyor]

I agree, the inner cover should be able to go on over the feeder.

[hsbcapt]

The bees will drown if they get access to the top of the feeder. They should only have access from the underside. My inner covers have a notch that would allow the bees to get into the liqiud and drown.

[poor man]

But now I'm confused. The dealer told me it was fine to use the inner cover ON TOP OF the feeder. What would be the reason for omitting it? I can see why you wouldn't want it under the feeder.


i would say you can use the inner cover "IF" the outer cover fits tight....BUT why put it on when the feeder is there you are just making one more step of work for yourself... you want the tpo of the feeder to be sealed so the bees cant get to it from inside or outside....

[Dubhe]

These work great IF: the one you get isn't defective or warped, the hive is perfectly level, you're careful about FULLY inserting the assembled pieces, and you don't allow any access to the top of the feeder. If it sounds like alot of work, that's because it is. It's not a high quality item & they spill syrup whnever you remove them for inspections. Mine went into the junk pile.

[hsbcapt]

AMEN

I agree its more trouble than its worth. I just hope my package can overcome the loss.

[staythecourse]

If it's any consolation, you helped me out with the inner cover question. I pinched the sides of the wire mesh where the bees could have gained access to the syrup sans a way to get out.

We'll see how much of a hassle it is. Thanks for the post.

[beehoppers]

1st ... Welcome to BeeSource!

You probably need the inner cover to provide ventilation. Lay a piece of screen wire over the oval hole and tape around it to hold it still.

[EKW]

I love top feeders and wish I could use them, but it is too cold here in MN. I do use them for other purposes though, like cleaning up odds and ends of wax, burr comb if they draw it and fill it with honey, etc. And, if we extract early enough they are great for letting the bees clean the cappings.

I used to put a thin (1/8" or 1/4") piece of styrofoam in mine, cut just a little smaller than the inside of the feeder. The bees will use the foam as a float to alight on and feed from. I rarely had any drowned bees.

[CAbeek]

The method I came up with to prevent drownings while feeding syrup is a plastic paint roller tray in a shallow super sitting on an inside cover with some folded metal screen door screening in the paint tray to serve as a bee ladder out of the tray/syrup. Again, the paint tray sits on the inside cover which is between the hive body and the shallow 'feeder' super. The outside cover goes on top.

To fill it, just lift the outside cover, brush any bees out of the way, and pour in the syrup. (You may have to remove the paint tray and screening before filling it and scoop out any bees lingering inside so that you don't drown them while refilling it.) The inside cover doubles as a 'roof' over the main hive (so you disturb them as little as possible) and a support platform for the syrup tray.

If you're careful (and make sure all bees are out of the way before filling it), you can have zero (0) drownings with this method, as the only way they can drown is if you trap them under the screen when refilling it.

I was getting way too many drownings and leaking using the baggie method. The paint tray method solves both of those problems.