Betterbee 2 Gallon Pail Feeder

[Patrick Scannell]

http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=267

I bought one of these to try, and my bees can't get the syrup out. I set it up as directed with the screen side of the plug down, and after a week it is still full of 1to 1 syrup even tho bees were on the screen trying to get at it.

Are these pails only good for thin syrup? What am I doing wrong?

[Dan Williamson]

I have no problem getting my bees to take syrup from these feeders. I had a bigger problem with the plugs popping out and pouring syrup into the hive. I solved the problem by glueing them in place but I prefer the feeders from Lapps.

They are 2 gal and the screen is melted into the plastic. I don't have to worry about the plugs popping out.

If the plugs fit tighter you could make your own feeder pails as they sell the plugs separately at betterbee. I like that idea. I might go that route.

[berkshire bee]

I've used Betterbee's with 1:1 and 2:1 with no problem. The best way to keep the plugs in is push them tight into the cover and stick a long finish nail sideways through the plug, just inside the cover and they can't come out. I get food grade plastic buckets from the local supermarket bakery. They have three different sizes and they're all useful for feeders, honey storage etc

[BillS]

I'm not sure why, but I had the same problem. They did not take feed from the pail-screen set up, but guzzeled down six gallons in two weeks when I put it in a hive top feeder. Go figure!

Bill Schaefer

[Patrick Scannell]

Thanks for all your experiences. The hive-top feeders work so well for me, I think I'll give up on the on the pail-screen setup. I don't need one more thing to fight with.

[wfarler]

ditto, there are 50 of those screen plug inserts in a bag somewhere in the barn. No I take that back there are 48 and two pails with one siliconed in each.

for $2.88 i was buying gallon pickle jars, eating a lot of pickles and they worked great. For non-pickle eaters the hive top feeders (modified miller type) work well. the plastic inserts for $10 are not that bad considering they should last a long time when only left out for feeding.