[jajtiii]

I use a couple of mason jar feeders on my younger/smaller hives. For a regular super, I place it over the hole in the inner cover. For a Nuc (mine are 5 frames), I put a couple of pieces of wood over the frames and place it on that, with another Nuc (empty) surrounding it.

But, I see pictures where folks have the mason jars seemingly on top of the nuc/hive cover. I am guessing they have drilled a hole in the top to allow for this. How do you stop rain from coming into the hive? When the jar gets empty, won't the wind blow it over, opening a large hole in the top?

I'm sure the answers are logical, they simply escape me.

 

[Beeslave]

Most hives you see with the exposed mason jars have a hole drilled in the lid that fits the jar lid snug. It takes a strong wind to blow them over and very little water will seep into the hive around the lid.

 

[BenDavis2]

You can just use a hole cutter to accomodate the jar so that it is really tight and hard to get into and out of the hole.

When you cut the hole, keep the round scrap of wood from the inside of the hole. Glue it onto a small board larger than the hole, and you can use this as a plug to plug the hole when a feeder isn't on there.

If you decide to use a 1-liter plastic bottle top feeder, you can make a much smaller hole and still have pretty good capacity. I've heard that 2 liter gives you too much pressure and may cause leaking down into the hive. Do note that a bottle needs more clearance. What I do is to cut a hole in the lid of the hive for the bottle to go in. Then get a scrap of wood (3" x 6") and cut another hole that fits the bottle on one side of this scrap piece. On the other half of the scrap piece, glue one of the round cutout-hole-scraps. When you are feeding, the bottle goes through the 3x6 scrap hole, and then into the hole in the hive. This elevates it so the bottle isn't resting on the frames inside the hive. When no bottle is being used, you flip over the 3x6 scrap, and plug the hole in the hive, with the round-scrap that is glued to the 3x6 scrap piece.

Hmmm. This is turning out to be a hard description to write. I'll take a picture and post it on here. It will be worth a thousand words.

 

[honeybeekeeper]

Just cover the jar hole up on the top of the lid when not in use!

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Do not make the hole as big as the jar and there will be an overlap so it does not leak. Use wide mouth jars or pails and they will not blow or tip over.
http://americasbeekeeper.org/Gallery.htm
www.americasbeekeeper.com/2010_Gallery.htm
http://www.americasbeekeeper.com/USFBG_2010_Gallery.htm

 

[sqkcrk]

A friend of mine has holes in his plywood covers which the jars fit down into. When not in use, he uses a piece of canvas as an inner cover, sorta. Thereby closing the whole.

 

[Rick 1456]

Bees, at least mine, propolis the lid to seal it. After the first time, the propolis is almost seal sealing. I use a empty hive body and over so I have no experience with wind. My best guess it would take quite a wind to knock it over once the seal is made.