[NCBeeGuy]

I'm on my third type of feeder. None of which I'm happy with. Running 8F medium equipment. The entrance feeders only sucker in new beeks. Then tried the cheap Brushy Mt. pails with the center hole - which when I was new ish, seemed ok - til they leak, and block the inner cover hole. Pro : they're easy to clean.

I have two of the "ultimate hive feeders' which I think I got on Brushy before they went under, now find em for more on amazon for a 2 pack - but they do drown bees and are a beast to clean.

Looking at the Mann Lake 8F top feeder with super painted vs the Dadant one.

Accidentally got (and returning) Apis square 1g one from amazon - I missed the 10F only detail, as soon as I opened the box I thought "oops".

how is it possible we don't have a dominant much preferred device for this yet

suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Groundhwg]

I'm on my third type of feeder. None of which I'm happy with. Running 8F medium equipment. The entrance feeders only sucker in new beeks. Then tried the cheap Brushy Mt. pails with the center hole - which when I was new ish, seemed ok - til they leak, and block the inner cover hole. Pro : they're easy to clean.

I have two of the "ultimate hive feeders' which I think I got on Brushy before they went under, now find em for more on amazon for a 2 pack - but they do drown bees and are a beast to clean.

Looking at the Mann Lake 8F top feeder with super painted vs the Dadant one.

Accidentally got (and returning) Apis square 1g one from amazon - I missed the 10F only detail, as soon as I opened the box I thought "oops".

how is it possible we don't have a dominant much preferred device for this yet

suggestions are appreciated!

Just buy the Mann Lake eight frame top feeder. Have over a dozen and have used for years, easy to fill, no bees drown, no robbing. Might seem costly but you get a great product that will last and does a good job.

 

[LAlldredge]

2nd year and have used all you’ve mentioned. Take a look at the rapid feeder. Bought mine off of Ebay. No leaking and it sits on top and can be filled without opening the hive. I have the two liter version.

 

[little_john]

Inverted jar feeder(s) sitting on top of a hole on the Crown Board (Inner Cover). Box on top to keep the sun off, roof on top of that. They cost nothing to make, zero drown and zero drip (if protected from sun). I run up to 4 jars (1/2 gallon) at the same time on full-sized hives, 1-2 on nucs.

If I needed anything larger, then I'd use a Miller feeder - but right now the jars are fine. During winter the syrup is replaced by fondant.
LJ

 

[ifixoldhouses]

2nd year and have used all you’ve mentioned. Take a look at the rapid feeder. Bought mine off of Ebay. No leaking and it sits on top and can be filled without opening the hive. I have the two liter version.

I have a few of those, their good for small nucs, a big hive empties it out in an hour, and fills it up with bees, you have to smoke out to refill.
I like the 2 gallon hive top feeders, the feed last longer, and no bees to contend with. they cost like $23 each.

 

[My-smokepole]

The little that i feed its qt jar with holes or in hive 1 gallon in hive feeder of Mann

 

[Jack Grimshaw]

I run 10 F med. and keep a feeder like this with cap & ladders in every top box, year round, on the west side.
I have found that bees will take feed in colder weather than with top feeders,the feeders are always available and no storage hassles.
For the best price,order from the factory,even on the east coast.Good guy to deal with. Ask to calculate cheapest shipping for quantity orders

https://www.motherlodeproducts.com/product/in-hive-feeders-with-new-style-cap-n-ladders-deep-9-58-or-shallow-6-58-10-count-case/

 

[e-spice]

I also use what I believe little_john is describing. An old mason quart jar with a few small nail holes punched it the lid, inverted over the inner cover hole in an empty super. Easy to do, no drowning, less robbing, but does require an empty super.

 

[LAlldredge]

When it starts filling up with bees I just add water. Doesn’t hurt anybody and keeps new bees from escaping. Then I use a feather to evict the escapees. Its the most peaceful way I’ve found to deal with an empty feeder.

 

[username00101]

I've had good results with the mann lake top feeders w/supers.

One disadvantage is that they're $25 each.

 

[eddiegoff]

Hey I’m thinking about going with this kind of feeder what do you mean about protecting from the sun not causing it to drip?

 

[Clayton Huestis]

Epoxy lined paint cans @ $3.50 each. Gotta shop around. Cheap easy to clean and effective at hitting target weight for winter. Up to 5 can be placed on a colony to feed quickly and effectively. Each can of 2:1 syrup provides 10 lbs of stores approximately for winter. Can feed in colder weather as cluster keeps syrup warm. Disadvantage is needing empty shell to cover cans. Then having to pick back up. No big deal at home but in outyards and many colonies can make it a real chore .

 

[mattp]

I've just been using 1 gallon buckets on top of the cover. I drill a hole in the top and made some "stand offs" with screen on them to go in the hole in the top (no inner cover). Yeah I spill some sugar water, but it's the easiest/best/cheapest thing I've come up with. If you drill holes diagonally on the lids, you can put 2 buckets on each hive.

 

[JWPalmer]

Hey I’m thinking about going with this kind of feeder what do you mean about protecting from the sun not causing it to drip?

Mason jar feeders do not drip because surface tension and air pressure hold the syrup back. If the jar heats up, the pressure created by the expandind air or liquid forces the syrup through the holes and onto the bees. So, it needs to be protected from direct sunlight.

I use mason jars primarily on the nucs and own about 20 of the Beemax styrofoam feeders by Betterbee for all my 10 frame hives. An 8 frame version is also available. I am starting to use the Ceracell hive top feeders and like them, but the bees will draw comb in the gaps underneath the nuc feeder which has two separate trays.

 

[philip.devos]

I've tried many different designs, all of which successfully drowned many bees. Ladders to prevent drowning were ignored.

1 qt. mason jars, inverted on 1/4 inch shims don't drown bees.