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FEEDING METHODS & SAFEGUARDS

Basically there are five different feeding systems known and I will give my opinion of all of them:

  1. Entrance Feeder (Boardman Feeder): Throw it away! It invites robbing, and bees cannot get to it when it is chilly.
  2. Division Board Feeder: I refuse to use them because they drown a lot of bees, they occupy the space of a good brood frame, and mainly, the hive has to be opened to the weather to refill or to inspect, and the bees can NOT get to it if it is real cold.
  3. Hive Top Feeder: A fine feeder in warm weather, but bees can NOT get to it when weather is cold.
  4. Baggies: These are ziplock, sandwich bags filled with sugar syrup placed on the tops of brood frames with knife slits in them for bees to feed. Again, you have to open the hive in the cold to add more, and the possible breakage and flooding scares me.
  5. Glass Jar Hive-top Feeder: A gallon glass or metal jar with about 4 tiny frame nail holes punched through the lid inverted over the inner cover hole, and that enclosed by an empty deep body is my choice of feeding technique. If bees need a tremendous amount of feed in a hurry, remove the inner cover and invert 4 of these jars right on top of the frames.

George Imirie
Certified EAS Master Beekeeper

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