The most common methods for feeding sugar syrup to bees involve using a dedicated feeder that is placed either inside or at the entrance of the hive. Key types include internal frame feeders, top feeders, plastic bag feeders, and external options like Mason jars or large bucket feeders. The goal of any method is to provide nourishment efficiently while minimizing risks like drowning, spillage, and inciting "robbing" from other colonies.
Your choice of feeder is a strategic decision that balances convenience against the hive's safety. The core trade-off is between external feeders, which are easy to monitor but risk attracting pests and robber bees, and internal feeders, which are more secure but require opening the hive.
Internal Hive Feeders: The Secure Choice
Placing feeders inside the hive is the most effective way to prevent robbing, as the syrup's scent is contained. This requires disturbing the colony for refills but offers the highest level of security.
Frame Feeders
A frame feeder is a plastic or wooden container shaped like a standard hive frame. It hangs inside the brood box or super, taking the place of one of the frames.
Bees can access the syrup by climbing down into the container. Many designs include textured inner walls or floats to provide bees a surface to cling to and prevent drowning.
Top Feeders
These are large-capacity feeders that sit on top of the uppermost hive box, directly under the main hive cover.
They hold several gallons of syrup and allow bees to come up from the hive body to feed. Because they are easy to access without disturbing the brood nest, they are a popular choice for providing large quantities of syrup.
Plastic Bag Feeders
This is a simple, low-cost method where a heavy-duty, sealable plastic bag is filled with syrup. The bag is placed flat on top of the frames.
A small slit is cut in the top surface, allowing bees to access the syrup through the opening. This method minimizes the risk of bees drowning.
External and Entrance Feeders: The Convenient Option
These feeders are positioned at the hive entrance or on top, allowing for quick refills and easy monitoring of syrup levels without opening the hive. Their main drawback is the increased risk of attracting robber bees from neighboring colonies.
Boardman / Entrance Feeders
This is a common method for hobbyists, typically using a Mason jar with small holes punched in the lid.
The jar is inverted into a small tray that slides into the hive's entrance. While very easy to use, they have a small capacity and are highly prone to encouraging robbing.
Pail / Bucket Feeders
Used by hobbyist and commercial beekeepers alike, this method involves a plastic pail or bucket with a tight-fitting lid. Tiny holes are drilled in the lid.
The bucket is filled with syrup, sealed, and inverted over the hole in the hive's inner cover. The vacuum created prevents the syrup from pouring out, allowing bees to drink from the holes.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Choosing a feeding method is not about finding the "best" one, but the right one for your specific situation. The key considerations are robbing, bee safety, and convenience.
Robbing and Pests
External feeders, especially entrance feeders, can leak small amounts of syrup, which attracts bees from other hives. This can trigger a "robbing" frenzy where the stronger colony attacks the weaker one to steal its resources. Internal feeders are always the safer choice to prevent robbing.
Drowning Risk
Open-style feeders, like frame feeders and some top feeders, pose a drowning risk. If using one, ensure it has built-in ladders, floats, or add pieces of wood or cork to give bees a safe place to land. Closed-container feeders like bags and pails eliminate this risk.
Hive Disturbance
Internal feeders require you to open the hive to check levels and refill, which can chill the brood and disturb the colony. External feeders allow you to manage feeding without any disruption to the bees' daily activity.
How to Prepare and Administer Syrup
Proper preparation and timing are just as important as the feeder you choose. Incorrect practices can harm your bees.
Preparing the Syrup
Use a 1:1 ratio of granulated white sugar to water by volume for spring or summer feeding. Heat the water until it is very hot but do not boil the mixture. Boiling sugar water can create Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a compound toxic to bees.
Stir the sugar into the hot water until it is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature before giving it to the bees.
When to Feed
To minimize the risk of robbing, always place feeders in the hive in the evening. By dusk, foraging activity has ceased, giving the colony time to find and start consuming the syrup before outside bees become active the next morning.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
- If your primary focus is preventing robbing and ensuring maximum hive security: Use an internal feeder like a frame feeder or top feeder.
- If your primary focus is convenience and easy monitoring for a small hive: An entrance feeder can work, but you must be vigilant about robbing.
- If your primary focus is providing large volumes of feed with minimal disturbance: A top feeder or a large pail feeder is the most efficient choice.
- If your primary focus is a low-cost, low-risk internal option: A plastic bag feeder is an excellent and safe DIY solution.
Ultimately, the best feeding strategy protects your bees from drowning and your hive from attack while delivering the nutrition they need to thrive.
Summary Table:
| Method | Placement | Key Feature | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame Feeder | Inside Brood Box | Frame-shaped container with floats | Maximum hive security |
| Top Feeder | On Top of Hive | Large capacity, under cover | Providing large volumes with minimal disturbance |
| Plastic Bag Feeder | On Top of Frames | Low-cost, low-drowning risk | A safe, DIY internal solution |
| Entrance Feeder | At Hive Entrance | Easy to monitor | Small-scale, convenient feeding (high robbing risk) |
| Pail/Bucket Feeder | On Top of Hive | Vacuum-sealed, large capacity | Efficient feeding for hobbyist & commercial beekeepers |
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