Cleaning green jumbo feeders

[megadyptes]

Does anyone have any tips on how to clean the green jumbo feeders?

My bees have decided to fill the voids on the underside, and the cones used to access the upper side, with large amounts of crystallised comb. I've hacked out as much as possible, but the dregs are proving rather difficult to dislodge. I'm tempted to pour boiling water into the feed chamber in the hope the comb drips off, but better ideas welcome!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Whden you've done it, close up the void with gaffer tape. That's what I did. Apart from weight and ease of handling, that is the only down side of the green feeders

 

[MartinL]

Are we talking about the ones from Maisies?

Size of a super?

I have two on my shed I don't use anymore as the syrup ends up out of reach if they are put on my hives on the cricket field, (leaning 1-2 deg forward from level).

 

[Olivia9801]

I bought one of these green giant feeders a few months ago and started using it recently alongside my rapid feeders.

Each time I checked the green giant I found a pile of dead bees at the base of the cone floating on the syrup.

It appears there is no grip on the cone they climb down to access the syrup so subsequently drown.

Has anyone else had this issue? Have stopped using it obviously.

Please let me know.

Regards

 

[Millet]

I bought one of these green giant feeders a few months ago and started using it recently alongside my rapid feeders.

Each time I checked the green giant I found a pile of dead bees at the base of the cone floating on the syrup.

It appears there is no grip on the cone they climb down to access the syrup so subsequently drown.

Has anyone else had this issue? Have stopped using it obviously.

Please let me know.

Regards

That is a problem easily solved, just rough the cone up with some sand paper and also the inside of the cup that goes over the cone, i have three 4litre green feeders that have already been machined to provide grip for the bees and i have not found a dead bee yet, however these green feeders may be different to the ones you use.

 

[megadyptes]

It appears there is no grip on the cone they climb down to access the syrup so subsequently drown.

The ones I have have ribs on the surface of the cone and also the cup that sits over them. The only way I can see of drowning bees with that set up is by pouring in a large volume of syrup such that rises up the bee space faster than then can walk away from it.

 

[megadyptes]

Are we talking about the ones from Maisies?

Size of a super?

I have two on my shed I don't use anymore as the syrup ends up out of reach if they are put on my hives on the cricket field, (leaning 1-2 deg forward from level).

Yep them's the ones. I only had a small amount of syrup left in the corners. I guess you could remove the plastic cups and give them free reign on the residual syrup if you wanted to, or just fit a smaller feeder to allow them to finish off the stuff they couldn't get to

 

[Olivia9801]

I will have a go at roughing the external surface of the cones they walk on to access the syrup.

However, they were filled once as soon as they were put i situ with no bees on the walkway. I removed them, left it for a few days, went back and a fresh collection of dead bees were in the same place.

I then had to remove it and replaced it with a rapid feeder. So it was not caused by me filling it to quickly.


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[Stedic]

I will have a go at roughing the external surface of the cones they walk on to access the syrup.

However, they were filled once as soon as they were put i situ with no bees on the walkway. I removed them, left it for a few days, went back and a fresh collection of dead bees were in the same place.

I then had to remove it and replaced it with a rapid feeder. So it was not caused by me filling it to quickly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I have these feeders on three of my hives. Two hives have perhaps had 3 bees die since July (late swarms being fed early). The third hive are lemming like - always dead bees. Must be some characteristic of the hive occupants. I like to think they are greedier or something. I've switch feeders over btw and results were the same, so I don't think it's a problem with a specific feeder.

I like the green feeders as I can chuck loads in each time I visit the out apiary.

 

[Wingy]

Does anyone have any tips on how to clean the green jumbo feeders?

My bees have decided to fill the voids on the underside, and the cones used to access the upper side, with large amounts of crystallised comb. I've hacked out as much as possible, but the dregs are proving rather difficult to dislodge. I'm tempted to pour boiling water into the feed chamber in the hope the comb drips off, but better ideas welcome!

Possible use a hot hairdryer? Could concentrate the heat on one part at a time just making it soft and possibly loose enough to break away?

 

[drex]

I go the exact opposite. I wait for a cold frosty day, ( or you could bung it in a freezer) when the wax is brittle, and it then chips off easily. Not that bothered by small bits of wax left - gives them a bit of a foothold.