I have been feeding inside the hives trying various methods..
- Using an entrance feeded inside an extra deep on top of the inner cover with good results.
- with a top feeder, tried floats, tried a screened restrictor for bee access. Lots of dead (drowned) bees.
- 2 gallon pail feeder inside an extra deep setting centered on the hole on the inside cover. Good results although the bees arent taking the feed at the same rate as the plastic entrance feeders. (I've up'ed the number of holes to give better access and set the buckets on 3/8 spacers with good results.
Comb production seemed to be lower than I have been reading in the forum so I thought possibly they are not getting enough feed. So I took my trusty yellow plastic entrance feeders loaded them up and set them in front of the hives about 15 feet or so. WOW after a cpl hours they were cooking with bees and in 4 hours empty. I kept the other pail feeders under a deep on inner covers as well. After 2 days I can see a difference in the comb production. I noticed there is still interest in the inner feeders but the outer "open feeders" are mobbed.
Do you think it's because more of the forager bees are prone to feeding outside rather than inside? Nurse bees inside feeding? Or just honey robbing frenzy?
In any case I am not going to do it all the time as they are little piggies and I don't own shares in the sugar industry yet.
- Using an entrance feeded inside an extra deep on top of the inner cover with good results.
- with a top feeder, tried floats, tried a screened restrictor for bee access. Lots of dead (drowned) bees.
- 2 gallon pail feeder inside an extra deep setting centered on the hole on the inside cover. Good results although the bees arent taking the feed at the same rate as the plastic entrance feeders. (I've up'ed the number of holes to give better access and set the buckets on 3/8 spacers with good results.
Comb production seemed to be lower than I have been reading in the forum so I thought possibly they are not getting enough feed. So I took my trusty yellow plastic entrance feeders loaded them up and set them in front of the hives about 15 feet or so. WOW after a cpl hours they were cooking with bees and in 4 hours empty. I kept the other pail feeders under a deep on inner covers as well. After 2 days I can see a difference in the comb production. I noticed there is still interest in the inner feeders but the outer "open feeders" are mobbed.
Do you think it's because more of the forager bees are prone to feeding outside rather than inside? Nurse bees inside feeding? Or just honey robbing frenzy?
In any case I am not going to do it all the time as they are little piggies and I don't own shares in the sugar industry yet.