Feeder screen plugs: what am I missing here?

[Ben Brewcat]

Never used these before. I'm installing some feeder screen plugs (Betterbee, http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=402) on buckets, and I'm confused. If the screen side is out (towards the bees) like it says, the syrup runs out for a long time before slowing due to vacuum. Then it sits at the two holes, which are a good 3/4" away from the screen. How would a bee drink this?

I have one upside-down right now, and once the screen is licked clean I have to tap the bucket to drip more onto the screen. How can this work as a feeder? The only thing I could see is inverting the plug so the two holes are towards the bees, but then only a few could drink at a time...?

[Ben Brewcat]

<Bump>
Anyone use these at all?

[Flyman]

Sorry Ben, I just drill 1/64 holes in the top of a two gallon bucket. Never tried the screens.

Tom

[jrtrapper]

I don't use these myself but a relative does. I was unhappy with the amount of 1/1 syrup spilled before a vacum forms,other than that they worked fine. Is the plug pushed in even with the lid?

[bee_wrangler]

The syrup, once the vacum in the bucket is formed, drips out slowly on the screen and the bees feed through the screen. I had similar problems with 1:1 syrup leaking too much, so i set them upside down on an empty bucket so to syrup was caught until the bucket had a vacum. I used some silicone caucking to seal around the feeder screen plug to prevent them from comming out. I use those free or very cheap buckets from the deli at the grocery store.

Dan

[Patrick Scannell]

Here is a thread from 2007 with a similar question:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213496

I tried it again this year, and it did not deliver much 2:1 at all.

[Angi_H]

I use these in 2 gal and 3 gal feeders. What I do is have an empty 2 or 3 gal feeder and after filling the containers and placing the lid on the top making sure that it is on tight. I take that and the empty bucket over to the hives and I turn the feeder pail with the screen upside down over the empty bucket till it stops leaking and creats the vaccume. When it is on the hive it slowly leaks out the 2 holes onto the screen. I have had hive empty the 2 gal feeders in 3 days. This was during a necter darth. It does work and it works well. You can also get the same thing by just punching some holes in the top of the lid with a 16penny nail. Small holes and then placing this on top of the hives or through the hole in the top of the cover. I use the Snap on hole covers from brushy mtn. They screw on the hole you drill in the migratory cover so that when you are not feeding the lid snaps right on and there is no hole for them to get out of. I have had them come out of winter with this entier hole propolized closed. Makes a great propolis trap LMAO>


But all in all the feeder screens work well. Or you can order you some of the half gallon or one gallon jars and punch holes in the lids. I bought one gal black plastic feeder jugs from a beekeeper in Bakersfield and they work well but I hate filling them as oftin as I have to as they are only one gal. ANd I dont like hive top feeders. As they build comb from it and make a mess. And I dont like the inner feeders to many drowned bees no matter what you do you loose bees in the inner feeders.

Angi

[Ben Brewcat]

So they seriously drip slowly to feed the bees (hoping they clean it up) rather than the bees drinking from the feeder? That's kinda what it looked like. With that huge gap, the screen effectively does nothing but keep the bees from drinking from the holes, what a stupid product! I should've just gotten buckets and made the holes myself. Live and learn I guess. Maybe I can plug the screen holes and re-use the lids.

Thanks Patrick, wish I would've read that earlier! I do use the half-gallon mason jars with holes punched in lids but yeah it takes a lot of work to provide just a gallon of syrup. I'll stick with making my own or use the Mann Lake hive-toppers (4 gallons and no drowned bees).

Gracias, group.

[pamlico]

I have used them for several years. At first, I reacted as you did, I could not figure it out. Some of the syrup will drip out when the bucket is first placed upside down no matter what you do. I fill the bucket to 3/4 inch of the rim and then place the lid (with the plug inserted in the lid) on the bucket. As I place the lid on, some of the syrup will come inside of the plug. If you do not fill the bucket to almost full, it will leak a lot.