Poly Miller Feeder

[Erichalfbee]

As title. Do these need painting inside?

 

[mbc]

As title. Do these need painting inside?

The swienty ones do, the abelo ones come pre painted, in fact the abelo ones are superb imho whereas the swienty ones need a bee space and painting. The maisemore ones are 500mm by 500mm and come unpainted but are so thick I haven't bothered painting them and have suffered zero leaks so far, they actually make a good economic lid/feeder coupled with a gravel tray, but my preference is the slightly more expensive but robust and ready to go abelo offering.

 

[ericbeaumont]

abelo ones come pre painted

True, but until recently the paint was poor quality and wore away quickly; recent paint is better.

swienty ones need a bee space

Yep, and shows that the whole hive was designed as TBS; only later did Swienty decide to compete in the UK BBS market and add box runners, but without converting the feeder mould. Nine design flaws make this the worst practical hive.

my preference is the slightly more expensive but robust and ready to go abelo offering

Agree, by far the best for any standard BBS National hive, wood or poly. I found it can be used to do five different jobs.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thank's gentlemen.
I am getting g so many drowned bees in the 2 litre rapid feeders I've used for 15 years I thought I might try something else. I like the idea of Murray's feeder full of straw and syrup too.

 

[Antipodes]

Thank's gentlemen.
I am getting g so many drowned bees in the 2 litre rapid feeders I've used for 15 years I thought I might try something else. I like the idea of Murray's feeder full of straw and syrup too.

Are you able to post a photo of the rapid feeder central cone please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As title. Do these need painting inside?

I've never painted the feeders on my Maisie's poly nucs and have never had any issues, in fact I recall one year a nuc going through the winter with a feeder full of syrup on which was still there in the spring. And I must confess there's a random poly feeder sat on a stack outside the bee shed which sat there full of water for months before I tidied up

I am getting g so many drowned bees in the 2 litre rapid feeders I've used for 15 years I thought I might try something else.

try the larger 'English' feeders from Thornes (they have a central feed cone rather than one on the side as Maisies) and if push comes to shove and you are still getting 'casualities' just remove the cups and fill those with straw.
Old discarded fishing net works as well if you fancy a bit of beachcombing!

 

[mbc]

Agree, by far the best for any standard BBS National hive, wood or poly. I found it can be used to do five different jobs.

Intriguing, do share the different jobs

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are you able to post a photo of the rapid feeder central cone please?

It’s one of these.



I have never had any problems before
This morning I slid the empty feeders ( still with a layer of dead bees at the bottom of the cone…. Though it’s apparent some of the casualties have been removed) over and replaced them with similar but full to the top.

try the larger 'English' feeders from Thornes (they have a central feed cone rather than one on the side as Maisies) and if push comes to shove and you are still getting 'casualities' just remove the cups and fill those with straw.
Old discarded fishing net works as well if you fancy a bit of beachcombing!

Yes. They would work filled with straw. I am evaluating my feeding system. These days I have better things to do than visit the hives every day to feed and clear dead bees.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Intriguing, do share the different jobs

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/abelo-poly-ashworth-feeder-how-to-use-it.56949/post-906295

 

[Swarm]

For years I used litter trays filled with straw and stuck them on the hives with an empty super around them, simple, cheap and effective.

 

[Antipodes]

For years I used litter trays filled with straw and stuck them on the hives with an empty super around them, simple, cheap and effective.

Yes, something like an ice cream container works well. We do tend to sit them on a hive mat though, which I don't think you guys use.