Maisemore polynuc feeder

[bontbee]

I'm hoping someone will be able to help...has anyone else tried one of the above? (It's a Miller feeder, with a clear polycarbonate(?) cover over the feeding area).

I put one on a nuc the other day and when I had a quick look an hour or two later, there was a lot of drownded bees. They weren't sliding off the feeder "slope", they were crawling upside down on the clear cover and dropping off into the syrup.

Has anyone else had this problem? The only thing I could think of was to sand the cover to roughen the surface, but it seemed a better idea to sound out the wisdom of the forum first.

 

[REDWOOD]

Did you over fill it ? never had a problem when I fill them half way

 

[nantmoel]

I'm hoping someone will be able to help...has anyone else tried one of the above? (It's a Miller feeder, with a clear polycarbonate(?) cover over the feeding area).

I put one on a nuc the other day and when I had a quick look an hour or two later, there was a lot of drownded bees. They weren't sliding off the feeder "slope", they were crawling upside down on the clear cover and dropping off into the syrup.

Has anyone else had this problem? The only thing I could think of was to sand the cover to roughen the surface, but it seemed a better idea to sound out the wisdom of the forum first.

I'm sure I read that you should paint the inside surface with a textured paint, or add sand to some paint. you could also try putting some polystyrene pieces to float in the syrup this will stop them drowning. We have a Payne's feeder of similar design, but I have not put it on any Nuc yet.

 

[bontbee]

Did you over fill it ? never had a problem when I fill them half way

I may have done, but it didn't occur to me not to fill it to near the top!! I will try as you suggest - as it's at the house, it won't matter if it needs frequent visits.

I'm sure I read that you should paint the inside surface with a textured paint, or add sand to some paint. you could also try putting some polystyrene pieces to float in the syrup this will stop them drowning. We have a Payne's feeder of similar design, but I have not put it on any Nuc yet.

The painted surface doesn't seem to be the problem, it's the clear cover. Re. floating polystyrene, I wondered about sticking some straw or similar in the feeding reservoir, but that shouldn't be necessary with a Miller feeder, should it?

Thank you both, for such quick responses!

 

[Tremyfro]

I used them last year...but only filled them three quarter full. Mainly, because I was concerned about getting them off....if they didn't take the syrup down. Need not have worried...the little porkers snaffled it all. It must be the slippery plastic cover.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Didn't have any problem with them last year - and I had quite a few on the go sometimes you get some colonies and whatever you do they try their damnedest to drown!!

 

[beeno]

Hi bontbee,
You made me go out and have a look at mine, not that I have any syrup in it at the moment. Never had a problem with bees drowning, but never filled it to the top. Perhaps the bees are sick and dying anyhow?

 

[Cussword]

Used two last year with no problem. Funnily enough, I had that problem with an "English" feeder last year. As mentioned above, some of the little b*ggers just have a death wish.

 

[bontbee]

Thanks everyone!

 

[beeno]

Hi bontbee,
Apparently, it can be a sign of Nosema Ceranae.

 

[Cussword]

Hi bontbee,
Apparently, it can be a sign of Nosema Ceranae.

Really, are the above-mentioned actions symptoms?

 

[beeno]

Apparently so, (Scientific Beekeeper I think) together with dwindling, not taking syrup and drowning in it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Apparently so, (Scientific Beekeeper I think) together with dwindling, not taking syrup and drowning in it.

Apparently - so you're just guessing:

Nosema ceranae: Kiss of Death or Much Ado about Nothing?
Perhaps the most noticeable effect of N. ceranae infection is the lack of population buildup of infected colonies, due to the premature death of infected foragers.
Another symptom, reported by several, and described by Bob Harrison on Bee-L, is that of bees not taking syrup, and then massively drowning in division board feeders. Bob feels that the symptom of going “off feed” is a good indicator for N. ceranae infection, which can be reversed with a drench of fumagillin syrup.

The drowning behavior may have an explanation in a recent paper by Chris Mayak (2009), in which he found that “N. ceranae imposes an energetic stress on infected bees, revealed in their elevated appetite and hunger level…. infected bees attempt to compensate for the imposed energetic stress by feeding more…” Mayak suggests that such hungry, nutritionally stressed bees, exhibiting risky foraging behavior, might play a role in the depopulation of infected colonies.

 

[beeno]

No, just slight scepticism.

 

[bontbee]

Thanks for the suggestion, Beeno, but they are certainly not dwindling. From a colony in a nuc that I didn't have much hope for at the back end, it is absolutely thriving, luckily for me! When I next need the feeder, I'll not fill it so full and see how that goes.

 

[beeno]

That is good news then. Maybe just to cold for them at the time.

 

[beeno]

Hi bontbee,
Just thought I let you know that I have the same problem. It is just too cold and I have resorted to a zip bag and they took it down very quickly! Roll on warmer weather.