Bee feeder
Some beekeepers like to use a method called " Bee Bread" where they take pollen and mix it with honey and water to create a paste. They then feed this to their bees as a supplement. Other beekeepers prefer to just feed their bees honey, as it is a more natural food source for them. Regardless of the method used, it is important to make sure that the bees have enough food and water to keep them healthy and productive.
Frame feeders are placed inside the hive, between the frames, and provide a space for the bees to store sugar syrup. The syrup is drawn up into the feeder by capillary action, and the bees can access it as needed. One advantage of frame feeders is that they allow the bees to control the rate at which they consume the syrup, and they will not gorge themselves and become sick as they might with an open bucket feeder. frame feeders also make it easy to monitor how much syrup the bees are consuming. A potential disadvantage of frame feeders is that they can be difficult to clean, and if not cleaned properly, they can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. Bucket or can (gravity) feeders are placed outside the hive, and the syrup is gravity-fed into a tray or trough that the bees can access. One advantage of bucket feeders is that they are easy to clean. A potential disadvantage of bucket feeders is that the bees can gorge themselves on the syrup and become sick. Another potential disadvantage is that if the syrup level in the feeder gets too low, the bees may be unable to reach it and will starve.
What is frame feeder
It provides a place for the bees to store pollen and honey while allowing the bees easy access to the food. A frame feeder is a great way to provide your bees with additional food stores during the winter months, or during times of nectar dearth. Simply remove one or more frames from the brood nest, and insert the frame feeder in its place. The bees will have easy access to the pollen and honey stored inside, and you won't have to worry about them running out of food.
The top of the feeder is closed off so that bees can not get into it, and a hole or opening is cut in each end so that the bees can reach the syrup.
The bee frame feeders come in different volumes, most commonly one, one and a half, and two gallon sizes for deep boxes that are respectively 2, 2.5, and 3 wide, and for mediums a one gallon 3 wide model. The bee frame feeder is one of the most popular types of feeders because it is easy to use and doesn't require bees to be kept in a separate area.
Permanent use or short-term use?
The most common type of frame feeder is the plastic frame feeder. These are made of molded plastic and are designed to hold a frame of foundation or drawn comb. They are easy to use and clean, and are the most common type of frame feeder used today.
The winter cluster will hang down into the feeder and eat when necessary. Some beekeepers however, remove the feeders when it is time to harvest the honey crop. Most beekeepers who use frame feeders leave them in their hives year round, with the exception of those running double deep brood nests. The winter cluster will hang down into the feeder and eat when necessary. Some beekeepers, however, remove the feeders when it is time to harvest the honey crop.
This method is frowned upon by some in the beekeeping community because it can lead to unhealthy levels of sugar water consumption and encourage undesirable traits such as robbing behavior.
When brood rearing is confined to a single deep, the use of a frame feeder at the expense of some brood area is potentially problematic in the smaller unit. The beekeeper may need to remove them seasonally or use another method of providing feed when running singles in order to avoid any potential problems.
One nice aspect of leaving the frame feeders in hives permanently is that it is one less piece of equipment that has to be transported to/from apiaries, cleaned, and stored at the shop. If they are used seasonally, storage and transportation is simplified by the ability to stack the frame feeders neatly in empty boxes. This also helps to keep the frame feeders from getting lost or misplaced since they are always stored with the hives. Additionally, it is one less thing for the beekeeper to have to remember when prepping hives for transport or inspection.
Matching equipment
A frame feeder is a device used to dispense food for bees. It is typically used on a smaller scale, such as a bucket of syrup with a funnel or a watering can.
In order to avoid overflowing feeders or spilling syrup, it is important to deliver syrup with care. This will help to prevent robbing in the yard.
Placement
There is a debate in the commercial beekeeping world about whether it is better to have frame feeders on the inside or outside position on a pallet. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Feeders on the inside position are adjacent to the neighboring hive, which can make it easier to monitor and manage the bees. However, feeders on the outside position are more exposed to the elements and can be more difficult to manage. Ultimately, the decision of which position to use depends on the specific needs of the operation.
When bees are on the move during a nectar flow, it is extremely important that they have quick and easy access to their food. Placing feeders on the inside of frames ensures that bees can quickly and easily access their food without having to go through a lot of effort. Additionally, frame feeders coupled with migratory covers help to keep colonies undisturbed when feeding, as bees can simply move the covers outward to access the feeders without disturbing the rest of the colony.
When using this method, the beekeeper can very quickly and easily feed a large number of colonies at once. This is especially convenient when there is no other work to be done in the apiary, such as colony examination.
If beekeepers choose to have feeders on the outside of their hives, they must be careful to partially uncover frames when moving lids in order to access the feeders. This is because bees are attracted to the sugar water in the feeders and will climb onto the frames in order to get to it. If the frames are not uncovered, the bees will be crushed when the lid is moved.
The argument for feeders on the outside is that during winter dormancy, colonies will tend to cluster towards the inside edge of the hive as adjacent hives can provide each other some thermal benefit while leaving the void of empty plastic feeder at the outside of the pallet. By providing an external feeder, colonies can take advantage of the thermal benefits of being close to other hives without having to compete for space with other hives.
Consume syrup faster
A frame feeder is a common type of feeder used by beekeepers to provide bees with sugar syrup. The wide surface area of the feeder allows for rapid consumption of syrup, with big colonies being capable of emptying a 1 gallon feeder in a day or two.
The ability of bees to collect and store large amounts of syrup rapidly can help them survive the winter. Curbing colony activities in the fall helps them preserve their energy and resources so they can make it through the winter months.
Frame feeders can also be beneficial in the spring when strong colonies with large populations and abundant brood rearing are capable of burning through a lot of feed quickly and inclement weather prevents adequate nectar foraging. Being able to supply a lot of syrup rapidly and through multiple visits can keep a colony moving forward. This is especially important for new beekeepers who may not have enough experience to know how to properly supplement their hives.
Frame feeders are a type of beehive feeder that are inserted into the hive between the frames. They are easy to use and maintain, and they do not leak or spill once filled. This makes them ideal for use with treatments or dribbling onto bees.
Problems with the frame feeder
A problem with the frame feeder design is that the open access to syrup and plastic means that bees may fall into the syrup and be unable to scale the smooth walls to extricate themselves. This can be a particular problem in cooler weather when the syrup is more viscous and the bees' movements are slower. To help prevent this, some frame feeders have a grill or other type of barrier over the opening.
This problem can result in many drowned bees covering the surface of the syrup, preventing other bees from taking feed, and ultimately leading to a fermented, sticky mess that has to be dealt with. If not cleaned up quickly, this problem can lead to a decrease in the honey production, and possibly even the death of the hive.
Many beekeepers believe that an empty frame feeder is a wasted opportunity for the bees, and that they should use that space to build comb. However, this can lead to bees drowning in syrup if the feeder is filled while they are occupying it, or to reduced capacity for syrup if the comb takes up too much space.
This can cause the frames to become misshapen and unable to fit correctly into the hive. This can lead to bees becoming trapped between the frame and the wall of the hive, which can be fatal.
This warping is problematic because it makes the frames difficult to remove when working the colony, reduces feed capacity, and can lead to drone or burr comb on the adjacent frame. This makes it difficult to harvest honey and also makes it more difficult to inspect the colony for pests and diseases.
Fortunately, the recent addition of cap and ladder to frame feeder design has alleviated many of the above problems. Now, instead of being susceptible to the elements and pests, your feeder will be able to withstand the elements and keep the pests out.
The feeder's cap is made of wood that fits across the top surface, serving to both provide rigidity and exclude bees' access to the main volume within the feeder, thus preventing disfigurement and eliminating comb construction. The cap also has the added benefit of allowing rainwater to run off, rather than pool on top of the feeder and potentially leak inside.
The ladders in a hummingbird feeder are there to extend from the cap down through the syrup to the bottom of the feeder. They help the hummingbird get to the sugar water at the bottom of the feeder.
Some beekeepers have found that adding a folded sheet of hardware cloth to an open feeder provides sufficient structure for the bees to prevent drowning. This is a simple DIY fix that can be easily implemented. It is important to make sure that the hardware cloth is properly secured so that the bees cannot escape.
Use your favorite
Like most things with bees there isn’t necessarily a right answer or a singular way to get to a desired goal, but hopefully this will give you an idea if a frame feeder will meet your needs.
