I was wondering if anyone had any plans for a hive top feeder that I could build. I looked through the catalogs and did not really like what I saw so any help would be greatly appreciated.

-- Jason Priest (jeremy37@indy.net), April 02, 2002

Answers

http://www.beesource.com

-- Laura (lauramleek@yaho.com), April 02, 2002.

Most of the members of my bee club (including myself)put our sugar water feed in zip lock baggies -- the quart size. Actually I should say the freezer bags. Poke a few pin holes on the top side and lay the bag gently on the to bars. Works great!

-- Elizabeth (arvon104@cs.com), April 02, 2002.

5 gal bucket with lid on it TIGHT. Cut the bottom off about 4 inches bellow the top, make sure you still ahve the handle attched to the top side. Set it on top of the supers, fill it,, float a piece of wood, cut board inside the "feeder" cover with another super and your Outer cover.

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 02, 2002.

A lot of the old fellows in our bee club just use large plastic square or rectangle bowls that they get at the "dollar for everything store" fill it with pine needles, set it on top of the supers and pour the sugar water in! I have one that holds almost a gallon and works wonders--haven't had any bees drowned. Good luck and let us know what you use!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), April 02, 2002.

i used my plastic chick waters, and put a bunch of pebbles everywhere where the liquid flows into the water tray. I lost a few bees, but not many.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), April 03, 2002.

I've used most of these, all except the pine needles and I like that idea better than most.

If you want simplicity, use the gallon ziplock bag; you can actually cut a short slit in it without it emptying itself once it is in place. If you are not comfortable with that, use the pinprick method.

The one I like best is actually the super feeder, a super with a partition and a bottom that makes a two-trough box. Each of the two troughs in the super has a wooden grid that floats in the syrup; holds about three gallons. Brushy Mtn bee supplies carries them but I suppose similar feeders are found at most bee houses. JS

-- Jimmy S (Macrocarpus@gbronline.com), April 04, 2002.