How to stop bees drowning in syrup

[RogerJ]

I am using the Thorne's English feeder (it has the roughened dome and cap) and the bees keep on drowning in the syrup. Sometimes they seem to take it without drowning but in the last couple of days after topping up the sugar they seem suicidal on three separate hives. I'm not referring to when first adding syrup as I'm careful to only add slowly so that any bees around the feeder can move out of the way.

Is there anyway to minimise the losses? If not do you clean up the bodies or leave them as a platform (I've been fishing them out).

Thanks

 

[Millet]

I am using the Thorne's English feeder (it has the roughened dome and cap) and the bees keep on drowning in the syrup. Sometimes they seem to take it without drowning but in the last couple of days after topping up the sugar they seem suicidal on three separate hives. I'm not referring to when first adding syrup as I'm careful to only add slowly so that any bees around the feeder can move out of the way.

Is there anyway to minimise the losses? If not do you clean up the bodies or leave them as a platform (I've been fishing them out).

Thanks

Don't let it run out..keep it topped up as it saves the initial mad rush that you get at the beginning of syrup feeding..also when you fill them up do it nice and slow to give the bees a chance to run up above.

 

[enrico]

As you fill it twist the cup. This moved the bees upwards. My cups are see through so I can see what is happening as I fill. The bees shouldn't be drowning once the syrup is in! I take it you are using 2:1 ratio? Try making it as thick as you can!
E

 

[MuswellMetro]

it can be a sign the bee are infected with Nosema ceranae as that seems to make them more hungry, have you had them tested for nosema? Have they been slow to biuld up over summer?

 

[Beefriendly]

Not sure if applies but make sure the cup is well pressed down, mine click into position. If they become loose, which they can do very easily, bees seem to drown.

 

[RogerJ]

Thanks for the replies. I did indicate it is not an issue with filling (as I can see the bees move out of the way) but subsequently. Yes it is 2:1 and no problems with build up over summer.

 

[Swarm]

Do you have good insulation above the feeder?

 

[drex]

I know the surfaces of dome and cup are ridged but I roughen them up with sandpaper. Make sure the cup is well seated. There is not much room for many to drown. I leave the dead ones floating, which provides a raft for others to feed on, but clear them out on a refill. The above lessen the numbers that drown, but you will still get a few.

 

[XYZ]

Don't let it run out..keep it topped up as it saves the initial mad rush that you get at the beginning of syrup feeding..also when you fill them up do it nice and slow to give the bees a chance to run up above.

I have no chance at keeping it topped up before they run out. 8pm last night I put 2 litres in each, at half 4 today the two Abelo poly nationals are empty and the Maisies poly nuc has a small amount left. They're good guzzlers my bees

 

[Millet]

I have no chance at keeping it topped up before they run out. 8pm last night I put 2 litres in each, at half 4 today the two Abelo poly nationals are empty and the Maisies poly nuc has a small amount left. They're good guzzlers my bees

I have 4L feeders ..

 

[Buzzo]

matck sticks

drop in some match sticks -get in hobby shops.

they make little rafts for the bees.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I spray the cones of my English feeders with cellulose paint and sprinkle dry sand into the paint. I now don't have a problem with dead bees.

 

[bontbee]

These feeders were used in the association apiary for a short while. Bees drowned in droves - now consigned to the back of the shed....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

have stacks and stacks of 9 litre English feeders - they're great, you get the odd colony of kamikaze bees, but no more casualties than you would expect from miller feeders and the like.

 

[Camey]

Hi Roger, did your English feeder not come with a dedicated lid? I have 2 of the 6l English feeders from Thrones, they came with a well fitted lid. Once placed over the crown board centre hole the base of feeder blocks the second crown board hole and the fitted lid stops any stray bees falling in and drowning. I have used them since June to build up my new hives with no bees drowning thus far.

 

[enrico]

I presumed he had a lid fitted but you may have a point.......Roger?

 

[RogerJ]

The lids are fine - they are not drowning in the main part of the feeder but within the central cone. It does seem to vary between hives - one hive takes the syrup with no drowning at all, a couple with perhaps only a few but one seems to be very suicidal. I know a few bees in the context of a a healthy colony is perhaps "no big deal" but I still don't like to see it! As far as I can tell the "roughness" of the cone and cup is the same on all of the feeders; the paint and sand idea seems a possibility to try.

Thanks again for the comments.

 

[enrico]

Swap two of the cups round and see if the deaths swap too then you will know if it is the cup!!!
E

 

[fiat500bee]

I had this problem on a rapid-feeder like the one in post #12 and decided to convert it to a contact-feeder; I am only trying to help them with drawing foundation and speed was not important.

I took a clean and well rinsed dishcloth with a very coarse weave and cut it into broad strips. I rolled these strips into loose "sausages" and arranged them around the trough created by the inner and outer cones. The syrup fills the cloth by capillary action and supports a greater number of bees than it did as a rapid feeder.

I hated seeing the 2 or 3 bees who drowned between each top-up and the last straw was when I saw the speed at which they are overcome when one slipped whilst I was watching and I couldn't rescue it quickly enough.

 

[Buzzo]

match stick floats. craft shops sell bags of them. reduced it to virtually zero deaths.