Millar feeder

[SixFooter]

I made a millar feeder a la Hedgerow Pete (The video seems not to be there any more) but when I used it in the autumn, some bees found their way into the syrup compartments and drowned. The feeder was covered by the hive roof, so I cant understand how the bees made it into the main chambers. The outer rails are flush with the sides, so the roof should sit on the rails and the sides and close off any route into the the 2 outer syrup areas.
Can someone explain how the bees got there and tell me what I do about it - cover the whole thing with mesh or wood

 

[rowbow]

Putt a crown board on without a bee space, or better still a perspex crown board, then you can see them working without getting stung.




John

 

[hedgerow pete]

spot on answer, yes all the videos have been deleted sorry, muck up on my part

 

[Arfermo]

Never had a problem with my Miller feeders which are not HPs version, not that I know what that version is like. With mine the bees can get under the central metal lid and gaily lick the thing clean when the liquid runs out. Don't see why your bees go for a swim - unless of course the odd flying ones get in there before you put the CB back on? That has happened to me but I merely fish them out with my cranked uncapping fork and stick 'em on the landing board. Any use?

 

[SixFooter]

Started feeding with one of these again and again bees are drowning in the main compartments. I just cant work out how they get in, especially as I have put mesh over the middle rails.

 

[Rosti]

6F, double check the tolerance on the bottom of the slushes is not too large and also worth putting some sand / epoxy mix on the main vertical surfaces leading to from the entrance on the 'syrup' side. May be a case that they are dragging them selves down and through once they fall in (as the level drops)?

Edit add: it's just possible that they have come in the wrong way, up the outside and through the roof, I have had wasps do that?

 

[SixFooter]

I've cut a ply top for it, but I'm going to get some perspex so I can quickly check how much syrup is in it.

 

[hedgerow pete]

how is it going now,

apart from getting in from outside i am pretty stumped as to whats happening, the inside top rails if covered with mesh should stop the inside area getting bees in there, and a flat cover board should do the rest,, let us know how you get on so we can tell everyone else

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

How about making a wooden grill from thin slats of wood, overall size being slightly smaller than the chamber holding the syrup and floating it no top of the syrup, giving the bees a place to land and feed and a means of climbing out should they fall in.
A bit like the idea used in frame feeders.

From what I have seen on some of the American made versions, this is how they do it. Don’t know if it works or not, it’s just an idea...

Brian

 

[Rosti]

You should not need 'floats' on the syrup surface if the feeder is constructed properly with sound, close fitting covers. I have 3 part perspex covers on mine (central [bees access] + two tanks covers [syrup] ). The following should help explain. R

 

[buzz bee]

I have also had a drowning problem with my Millar feeder, and had given up using it. I live local to P****s and was discussing it with them last week. They say that they use ply 'floats' in theirs on the bee farm to prevent this happening, cut to closely fit the two reservoirs. But I would also think a ply or perspex board on the top would work, as previously suggested. Access point seems to be the bee space on the crown board.

 

[SER]

Access point seems to be the bee space on the crown board.

I've made all my crownboards with a bee space on just one side so when using the feeder I just turn it over to form a tight fitting lid, no drowning problems so far.