What Feeder To Use

[Millet]

Now the time is looming on the Northumberland coast and the bad weather imminent in the next month or two what syrup feeder's do you experienced folk prefare to build them up for winter.. i still have nectar coming in aswell as pollen but from my gut instinct i feel they still need a little help..

 

[Hawklord]

I use a Budget feeder from Thrones, they hold about 2 gallons.

 

[Millet]

As you know it's my first year and these bee's are building up strong.. apart from the odd dilemma.. anyway regardless of that what is a budget feeder.. lol

 

[Hawklord]

A square box, sits on top of your hive, bees come up through hole in middle and climb over a cone to collect syrup and return to brood nest. Sent PM.

 

[Millet]

That sound's pretty basic haha .. i will look into it many thank's..

 

[Millet]

A square box, sits on top of your hive, bees come up through hole in middle and climb over a cone to collect syrup and return to brood nest. Sent PM.

What would the drowning percentage be on that design i don't have a clue what it look's like but it sound's like a few bee's may be lost during feeding in that way..

 

[Cazza]

The cone has a pot which sits on top of it to make only a small area of syrup available. This prevents mass drowning.
Cazza

 

[BeeJayBee]

Or you could give them a large lump of fondant, and leave it in place until the Spring.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/feedingcandy.html <<< follow the link to Peter Edwards' site.

 

[Bob D.]

So how large is that "large lump" ?

From the texts it sounds like they are using a single load of 12.5kg to last the entire winter ?
Low maintainance, but isn't this excessive ?

 

[Finman]

.
I byed my first polyfeeders 2 weeks ago. I was astonished, how good they are. They are 15 litres.

.really good!

 

[linoleum bonypart]

They only drown if you fill the feeder too fast !!

 

[Finman]

They only drown if you fill the feeder too fast !!

Yes, do not fill so fast. All feeders are such.

 

[BeeJayBee]

So how large is that "large lump" ?

From the texts it sounds like they are using a single load of 12.5kg to last the entire winter ?
Low maintainance, but isn't this excessive ?

It depends on the type of hive - colonies in well-insulated poly hives need less to overwinter stores than colonies in uninsulated wooden hives. It also depends on the size and condition of the colony, geography, type of bee etc etc.

12.5kg may be excessive if the bees are left with their own stores in the brood box, but not if the beekeeper chooses to take and eat all the capped honey they can find.

If using fondant instead of syrup then a whole pack probably isn't too much to offer at one time although the most I've put on is about half a 12.5kg block - just roughly cut in half, not weighed, so somewhere around 6kg. In Spring the leftovers are removed and stored in a sealed container ready for next time. Without going through my records I think the most I've taken off in Spring has been 5kg, the least was about a kilo.

Using fondant as an autumn feed is an option, that's all, but one that's worth considering because it's easy to use and easy to store long term, and there's no need to get involved in the annual syrup-making debates!

 

[enrico]

Good old rapid feeders hold 4 pints each. Bees empty that in 24 hours. Perfect. Make syrup every morning, feed every evening.
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

Same here

 

[snelgrove]

I use Ashforth feeders which I made my self the bees are able to gain access to clean the tray when empty for winter feeding, any other time contact feeders.

 

[Finman]

.
I compared prices of 15 litre poly feeder in Finland and asford feeder in UK.
£ 12 / £ 33. Mechanism is almost same.

Price is 2.5 fold

 

[snelgrove]

price does not concern me as my Ashforth feeders are home made, the reason I use them is that I can feed 2 gallon and it's taken down in a couple of days.

 

[Millet]

Thankyou everyone.. does anyone use home made the glass jar contact feeder's and could i use candipollen and syrup together to let them chose what they want.. thank's again..

 

[Hawklord]

I use 720g peanut butter jars with a few holes through the lid, not really big enough for the winter feed though unless you want to give them a jar every day or so.