Drop in Feeders

[POPZ]

Has anyone experience with Thorne's plastic drop-in feeders for national hives?

 

[Baggyone]

Farther in law has one and I have one to be used. Bees like it BUT it does get a lot of comb built up underneath.

Does what it says on the tin

 

[Haughton Honey]

Is this the one that you're supposed to use with their £6 eke? If so, I tried it and ended up binning it.

Cheap and tacky! Stick to a rapid feeder or frame feeder.

 

[POPZ]

Is this the one that you're supposed to use with their £6 eke? If so, I tried it and ended up binning it.

Cheap and tacky! Stick to a rapid feeder or frame feeder.

That sounds like the one. No good then. I also thought rapid feeders were no good for autumn feeding - not sure why.

By frame feeder, is that an ashforth? They are so much dosh, but guess if that is what is needed then so be it?

 

[Queen B]

Frame feeder is frame-sized and you put it in the hive in place of an ordinary frame. I've tried it but got too many drowned bees. You can use a drop-in feeder (according to Thornes catalogue) for cleaning up cappings but it's cheaper to use a small baking tin or even a margarine box or plastic picnic box! IMHO, contact feeders are best of all - easy to make up feed, no need to weigh or measure if you're in a hurry, easy to carry lots of them out to a large apiary. Only disadvantage is that unless you have a high roof, you'll need an eke for each one, in which case you can use empty supers (store super frames in a suitable cardboard box for all the time it takes to feed the bees - not long!), or make a DIY eke or two out of any spare wood you have around. It doesn't have to be as strong as a super as it's only taking the weight of your roof. As long as it's made accurately enough to be bee-tight!

 

[gtb]

Frame feeder is frame-sized and you put it in the hive in place of an ordinary frame. I've tried it but got too many drowned bees.

Did you have a float in the frame feeder? I have a piece of wood in there that has holes through it, so the bees stand on it and drink the syrup down. Not much room to drown.

 

[POPZ]

Queen Bee - Your Majesty - thanks for that and now realise what a frame feeder is.

But my real question is regarding use of rapid and contact feeders for the final Autumn feed? I was under the impression that is was beneficial, in fact important that, one uses an Ashforth type feeder at this time. Is that so and why? Maybe I am reading too many books or the wrong books!!

 

[Finno]

I have twelve of them - seemed to work ok for one season so far. As I've invested time and money in making up ekes for them, I will continue to use them. They do appear flimsy though. Contact feeders are fine, but the need for supers to accommodate them is a bit of a nuisance. I suppose I can always look at converting ekes to miller type feeders. However, I doubt my woodworking skills are up to making them leak proof: I might try parafin wax waterproofing as demonstrated by the "shed" man on this forum.

 

[POPZ]

But my real question is regarding use of rapid and contact feeders for the final Autumn feed? I was under the impression that is was beneficial, in fact important that, one uses an Ashforth type feeder at this time. Is that so and why? Maybe I am reading too many books or the wrong books!!

Is there anyone out there who can answer the question above?

 

[MJBee]

Popz,
As with many things in beekeeping there isn't a definitive answer It comes down to personal preference. The objective with Autumn feeding is to get the feed into the brood chamber as quickly as possible. I have used 1 gallon plastic contact feeders for years without any problems, others have binned them because "they leak and drown the bees". Ashforth feeders offer a greater feeding area to the bees but unless floats are used bees can drown.....
You pays your money and takes your choice
Mike

 

[POPZ]

Mike, that all makes sense - thanks. Sounds like contact feeder should do, and I presume easier for the ladies to get to, as it is direct over top of brood and no climbing etc.

 

[JCBrum]

Cheaper too.

 

[DrNick]

Has anyone experience with Thorne's plastic drop-in feeders for national hives?

Farther in law has one and I have one to be used. Bees like it BUT it does get a lot of comb built up underneath.

Does what it says on the tin

I tried using one for the first time today, I tried it with syrup and pollen patty,
the bees are able to get out to feed on the patty, but there is a gap at the top and so they can get over to the syrup and fall in, and if you lift up the divider to close off the gap the bees can get out at the ends of the divider, it is a good idea but a flawed design, also you have to put some plywood over the top (not a crown board as it would leave a gap they could get through), I will be on to Thornes tomorrow just to warn them of it's short comings, in the end I had to cut a piece of wood 8mm thick to block off the gap, I like rapid feeders, but this is very poor.