poly feeders

[Tdod]

Hi sorting out what items I need to get over the winter for next season and as I am using Pay##s 14x12 poly hives which I think so far have been brilliant I keep noticing they are selling off the old style feeders for £10.00 they do not have the polycarbonate cover and the entrance gap is smaller on the new version, is there any one out there using the old style feeder with some modifications or are they a no go???

 

[Itchy]

I bought a couple of the £10 offer feeders - seem ok to me, but as I'm new to this feeding lark (and beekeeping) I know no better.

 

[Tdod]

As I understand it the new version has a clear carbonate sheet to cover the center section to stop the bees coming out when you lift the roof off, but I might be being a bit daft but if the feeder runs dry can the bees not walk down and under the divider and back up in the main part where you pour the feed in...

so if this is the case how would you refill it if it had run dry?

 

[Smuffles]

The old feeders are fine just glue/staple a sheet of plastic bag between the two dams to stop the bees flying up when you take the roof off.
You will get a bit of comb up the middle but it's nothing to worry about.

Saying that if I get a new hive I'll spend the extra on a new style one

 

[Smuffles]

As I understand it the new version has a clear carbonate sheet to cover the center section to stop the bees coming out when you lift the roof off, but I might be being a bit daft but if the feeder runs dry can the bees not walk down and under the divider and back up in the main part where you pour the feed in...

so if this is the case how would you refill it if it had run dry?

You're right! I've wedged a bit of mesh down to stop the bees getting under the dam

The Swevinty Langstroth feeder is a much better design as it has no issues at all but I guess they couldn't just out right copy it

 

[Alabamaeee]

The gap between the dividers and the floor is far too big, I had lots of bees drown when the feed level dropped and they got into the main feeder area.

am going to modify them to leave just small slots for the syrup to seep through into the feeding area, and add a few "rafts" (wooden coffee stirrers or similar) to stop them drowning in the feed area.

At the moment if they take down the feed before you return to top up the little blighters are in the main feed area, and it a job to get them out again.

 

[Tdod]

thats exactly what I was tinking might happen so the gap really needs minimizing somehow?

 

[oliver90owner]

With good old Ashforth feeders, you just fitted the feeder so the slope meant the main syrup resevoir was drained before the bees could access it. KISS Principle in operation, I suppose... If the hive was dead level you just raised one side a bit. Simple really.

 

[itma]

The old model is flawed so deeply that I don't think it is worth bothering with, as a feeder.
On their website they say -

We have redesigned the feeder from the 'old style' The feeder has changed in 3 ways. It now has a clear cover over the central channel so that the bees don't 'come out at you' when you remove the lid. We have also narrowed the middle access slot so the bees don't build brace comb in it. Finally, we have made the middle dividers removable so the feeder is easier to clean when you have finished with it.

The first part may need some explanation.
The bees central access slot (down to the hive) normally would have a cover. The Mark 1 tried to cleverly finesse that by using the underside of the roof to cover the slot. Take the roof off and the bees are out!
The roof touched internal walls raised above the outside walls of the feeder to close the slot and prevent bees going "over the top" into the feeder.
Naturally the bees also tried to propolise the roof to those feeder walls ... and you had to fit the roof exactly correctly, without squashing any bees.

All such feeders have a gap under the walls, so that syrup can get to where the bees can get it. It is said that the gap below might be too big - though I suspect its more likely bees getting over the top.


I like a bargain more than most, but wouldn't touch this - as a feeder.
I have wondered about using one as a base unit for building my version of the Venus Honey Heater, which Payns also sell - at a breathtaking £200 ...

If you want a Payns feeeder, my suggestion is that you spend the extra £11 and get the new version.

 

[EKBee]

Aluminium mesh solves the gap issues at the bottom of the feeder and a larger patch over the top stops them coming out when you take the roof off
10 minute fix

 

[Itchy]

"If you want a Payns feeeder, my suggestion is that you spend the extra £11 and get the new version."

Good advice, not worth the effort modifying. I've used mine, but not checked since, so who knows what has gone on.

 

[Tom Bick]

With good old Ashforth feeders, you just fitted the feeder so the slope meant the main syrup resevoir was drained before the bees could access it. KISS Principle in operation, I suppose... If the hive was dead level you just raised one side a bit. Simple really.

Yes Ashforth feeders are great and good ones can hold two gallons of syrup

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

By far the best feeder - when it can be used.

Dusty

 

[youngyoungs]

Aluminium mesh solves the gap issues at the bottom of the feeder and a larger patch over the top stops them coming out when you take the roof off



Agree design of the original was flawed, but the feeders are cheap and I thought it worth a try. I made the following mods having sought advice from a fellow forum member.

1. Levered out the original dividers. Stapled a piece of wood to the bottom of each to prevent the bees getting underneath but allow the syrup to flow and be accessed by the bees. The aluminium mesh solution above would work just as well.
2. Cut some small castellations in the central walls to let the bees access the syrup. If you don't do this, your cover will rest on the central walls and prevent access of the bees to the syrup.
3. Cut up one of the old thin clear cover boards to fit only over the central bit between the two dividers, preventing the bees flying up when you take the roof off. I use a couple of drawing pins to hold this in position.

I have used my versions on two hives this autumn and they have worked perfectly with very few dead bees. I haven't floated anything on top of the syrup to prevent drowning and can't comment on the problem of building brace comb yet.