Feeding bees

[Eeltempered]

I have gotten rid of my top feeders, messy, cumbersome, drowned bees, attracting SHB etc. Anyway, I took a boardman feeder an placed it on the inner cover, plugged the outside hole and covered it with a Hive body. They can access the feeder from the oval hole in center. Has anyone ever done that. Its seems cleaner, easier and no drowned bees and hopefully less beetles. Just trying to find out what the opinions are about feeding them this way. Thanks. Mike

[tsmullins]

We take a hole saw, 2 7/8" I think (if you want, I will double check that), and cut a hole in the inner cover. The mason jar will fit in the hole very snug. This make changing feeders much easier.

Shane

[Eeltempered]

I just put a boardman feeder on the top. Is that cool?

[tsmullins]

Should be fine,

If the hive is strong you will have a harder time swapping jars. The nice thing about having the jar fit in the inner cover is, I can walk up behind the hive, pop the outer cover, and swap jars. Any bees hanging onto the old feeder, I can brush off on the inner cover, while at the same time sliding the new jar on. It also ensures the bees will not build anything in the empty hive body.

HTH,
Shane

[Bleemus]

You are doing fine. In warm weather the bees will feed perfectly fine from the setup you have. Let them eat if they need it and from what I hear about the weather in your part of the world they probably appreciate that syrup greatly.

[mrobinson]

In our area, somewhat to the south-southwest, food was not the major problem but water certainly was. A reliable water source (with stones or somesuch to sit on ... bees can't swim ...) is absolutely critical during hot summer months. Even if they can draw-down their stores, they still need water and lots of it: well beyond what they might be able to gather from morning dew (if there be any).

[psfred]

If you put a piece of 1/8" mesh hardware cloth over the escape hole in the inner cover, or on the inside of the hole you make for the jar, the bees will stay put when you remove the feeder. Two advantages: No stings when changing jars, and no robbing since only bees inside the hive can access the feed.

If you use the Kelley hivetop feeders and make sure the screen is sealed to the liner all the way around, the same applies except that you must make sure your cover doesn't allow access from the outside.

Peter