A Survey Of All The Ways To Feed Bees Sugar Syrup Using a Feeder Bee

Bee feeders are part of our essential beekeeping toolkit and nearly every beekeeper should be using one when they get started. The beekeepers role in offering much-needed food to honey bees during times of food scarcity is pivotal, as it ensures their health and survival. 

While you don't always have to feed, there are a few times in a colony's life when it is extremely helpful to a colony.

For example, a colony that is brand new does not have much comb in the hive. 

A new colony without comb does not have a place for the queen to lay eggs. Feeding sugar syrup allows the bees to quickly draw comb and provides a place for the queen to lay eggs.

While beekeepers would ideally like their bees to sustain themselves without any assistance, this isn’t always possible. Factors such as harsh weather conditions, food scarcity, or the establishment of a new colony can necessitate the use of bee feeders. 

When a new hive is being established, it needs help getting carbohydrates as quickly as possible and a honey bee feeder is the best way to do that.

Consider bee feeders as a food reservoir for bees, not that dissimilar to a food trough for pigs. But while pigs just eat it and well, you know... Bees actually eat it and use the energy to build things with it. 

Sugar syrup provides nutrition to bees, particularly during periods when natural food availability is limited like during a nectar dearth . When used effectively, bee feeders can significantly enhance the productivity of the hive. 

You may observe heightened honey production as a result of enhanced foraging activity and better-prepared bees for the winter, ultimately leading to improved survival rates. All just by using a bee feeder full of sugar syrup.

However, it’s not just about placing the feeder and forgetting about it. Unfortunately, it's not like feeding birds where you just set it out and all is well. Effective management includes selecting the right feeder types based on seasonal variations, environmental factors, and hive requirements, as well as preventing bees from drowning.

Although bee feeders play a key role in supplementing bees’ diet, they can potentially pose serious risks. One of the main challenges beekeepers face when using feeders is preventing bees from drowning in the syrup. 

This usually happens when bees gain access to the syrup through gaps or holes in the feeder, or when they encounter slippery surfaces they cannot grip. Some feeders get a bad reputation because of excess drowning. Sometimes it is well deserved.

Certain types of feeders, however, are designed to prevent this. Most of the feeders attempt to minimize bee drowning by adding texture to where the bees walk, reducing access, adding screen, etc... But no matter the type of feeder you use, it’s always important to exercise caution and monitor your bees regularly to ensure their safety and well-being.

When bees drown in feeders, the bees will eventually ignore the syrup as it speeds up the fermentation of the syrup. Historically, frame feeders, open feeders, and reservoir type feeders are the worst offenders, but there are tricks to keep this from happening.

Baggie feeders get their name from their simple design: plastic feed bags filled with syrup. This method of feeding bees is popular due to its affordability and simplicity. 

However, baggie feeders can create messiness and necessitate frequent replacement of bags.

Despite these potential drawbacks, baggie feeders offer a cost-effective solution for beekeepers on a tight budget or those managing a smaller number of hives. And with careful management, such as refilling using a hive tool to lift the slit part of the bag and pour in more syrup, the challenges associated with baggie feeders can be effectively managed.

Frame feeders, also known as division board feeders, have a unique design that allows them to be inserted inside a hive, replacing one or more frames in the brood nest. They offer the advantage of facilitating rapid consumption of syrup, particularly beneficial during periods of high feed demand in the fall and spring, making the division board feeder an essential tool for beekeepers.

However, frame feeders are not without their challenges. Potential issues include:

• The risk of bees falling into the syrup and drowning

• Colonies building comb inside the feeder, thus reducing its capacity

• The susceptibility of plastic frame feeders to warping and twisting in the box

To mitigate these challenges, some frame feeders incorporate a cap and ladder design, which prevents bees from accessing the main feeder volume and drowning.

Bucket or gravity feeders use gravity to deliver syrup to bees. Positioned above the hives, they use gravity and vacuum pressure for dispensing syrup to the bees within the hive. 

This allows the bees to access the syrup from below, without having to leave the hive, thereby safeguarding the entire colony from external elements and robbing risks. 

Pail feeders have an embedded screen in the center to allow bees to access the syrup, and when the lid is inverted, bees can access the syrup through the screen.

Bucket or gravity feeders, also known as pail feeders, can be made from a variety of containers, including:

• plastic buckets
  
  

• cans
  
  

• soda bottles
  
  

• mason jars

They should be modified accordingly and positioned above the bees in the hive, typically utilizing an inner cover with a central hole and a protective outer cover. These honey bee feeders are especially advantageous for promoting colony growth during spring build-up or when nourishing newly hived package colonies.

Open feeding, also referred to as community feeding, involves the preparation and placement of sugar water in an open area for the bees to access and consume. 

While these open feeders offer the benefit of quicker and simpler feeding, they also present the drawback of potentially attracting pests like:

• ants

• wasps

• hornets

• other bees
  
  

Despite these potential risks, open feeders can be a suitable feeding method for certain hive types, including Langstroth hives. However, it’s always important for beekeepers to consider the potential downsides and take necessary precautions when using open feeders.

The ratio of sugar to water in the syrup you feed your bees is crucial. For spring feeding, which is aimed at stimulating brood development, a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water is recommended. This thinner syrup imitates the consistency of natural nectar and encourages the queen to lay eggs.

On the other hand, for fall feeding aimed at helping bees store away food for the winter, a thicker 2:1 sugar to water ratio is advised. This thicker syrup is less likely to ferment and mimics the consistency of honey, helping bees to store it away more easily for the winter.

There are multiple methods available when it comes to replenishing your feeders with syrup. The simplest method is to pour syrup directly from a bucket into the feeder . 

However, this can be messy and might lead to spills. Alternatively, you can use a funnel, which allows for a more controlled pour and reduces the chance of spilling.

Pumps can also be used to transfer syrup from a storage tank directly to the feeder, making it a convenient option for larger operations. Regardless of the method you choose, remember to be careful to prevent spills, which can attract pests and cause robbing.