So I was looking at doing some open feeding of my bees. It has got to the point where it would just be alot easier for me to make one batch of 1:1 syrup and set it out for the bees. Most of my hives are small and I am lookiing having the feed 200 feet from the hives. Is this reasonable? Would this induce a robbing scenaro? I have allowed them to rob out old comb from cutouts in the past and it seemed to be ok.
Jason
that should be fine unless you have yellowjackets or other pests that will fight at the feeder for it. don't do it in the fall!! you will have a mess of stinging critters by then.
The first day you will have some confusion, fighting, etc. But once the bees home in on the location, everything works very well.
As for yellowjackets, etc., you may see some early morning as they are out before the bees become active. Once the honey bees start flying, the yellowjackets get pushed aside and they are kept from feeding.
If you make it a habit to put a feeding station in one spot you will eventually have habitual visitors other than your bees. Every now and then is not a problem, but constant feeding trying to get them to build or store for winter may be a problem. I'm sure I've raised a few yellow jacket colonies by open feeding.
Scott
I ask because I have alot of new hives that are captured swarms / removals and do not want to be messing aournd in the hive alot to keep feeding inside. I currenlty have 5 hives that are less than two weeks old and since this is my first year beekeeping I do not have drawn foundation for them to get rocking on. I was thinking if I did some open feeding I would not be in the hives causing trouble and could possible be easier on me and the bees.
Thanks for the feedback y'all
being in TX you might be able to get by with it for your spring feeding in Jan. by open feeding. remember when spring feeding in Jan. you'll need pollen sub out too.
Quote from: jaseemtp on May 04, 2011, 05:23:06 PM
So I was looking at doing some open feeding of my bees. It has got to the point where it would just be alot easier for me to make one batch of 1:1 syrup and set it out for the bees. Most of my hives are small and I am lookiing having the feed 200 feet from the hives. Is this reasonable? Would this induce a robbing scenaro? I have allowed them to rob out old comb from cutouts in the past and it seemed to be ok.
Jason
do you have summer in Texas? Why you feed bees?
Forecast tells that day temp is 30C.
Quote from: hankdog1 on May 05, 2011, 09:08:54 AM
being in TX you might be able to get by with it for your spring feeding in Jan. by open feeding. remember when spring feeding in Jan. you'll need pollen sub out too.
you mean that winter feeding in December, and spring feedin in January.
actually they probably have the weather to not even stop open feeding except for some portions of the state where they see a little snow fall
So the open feeding did not work like I had wished. What about using plywood for a lid the cut a hole maybe 4 inches round and placing a three or five gallon bucket over it with 1:1 and some small holes for the bees to feed? I would put screen or +8 hardware cloth on the top to keep the bees inside when changing the feeders. Wouldnt this work just like the jars and I would not bee in their hives as much. I feel I need to keep feeding because there is not much comb drawn out since I have only foundation and foundationless frames for them
Ps. we do get some snow fall, this winter was pretty cold for us. It is normally more hot than cold here though. It will easily get past 100f mosts days in the summer and our "winter" is pretty short with very few days below 32f.
Jason, what were you using and what didn't work out?
i'd also like to know why the open feeding did not work. did they not find the syrup? sometimes it takes them a couple of days if it's away from them. it also helps to put it in line with were they seem to be heading.
perhaps you have things blooming? they will ignore the syrup for the real stuff.
to answer your questions, yes that should work. make sure the holes are small and the jars are filled to the top. the screen needs to be tight so that it is in contact with the lid. you don't really need the screen, but it does make the jar switching faster.
I have tried open feeding and the bee do well with it, but there is no way to tell which hives are getting the syrup and which hives are not. In the spring I like to place old supers on buckets about 20 feet in front of my hives and pour old honey all over the frames, super, and buckets. I will also place jars of sugar syrup on top of all the frames. They typically swarm the setup. But, like I said it cannot be monitored. At least when I place jars in my entrance feeders I can see which hives are taking a quart a day or only 1/3 of a quart a day!
those bottom board feeders are a pain if for nothing else but the fact of how you have to watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't go dry. a gallon feeder bucket or jar on top of the hive is best or you can open feed like is being discussed.
I was not happy with open feeding. I used a three gallon chicken waterer* It was crazy all those bees there feeding and fighting, the fighting is what bothers me. I attempted it twice and both times there was a cup each of dead bees. I even put stones in the thing to keep them from drowning and there was so much pushing and shoving that they stones were tossed out and lay on the ground. I have to say if you want to feed alot of bees quickly that is the way to do it. I just dont like that fact that so many bees died
.
That is my experiences too. It will became a real riot.
If I use rapid feeding 1-2 kg sugar, I pour syrup direct into combs.
(http://www.captainchicken.com/pictures/feeder.jpg)
This holds about a quart and a half. Jar fits under a shallow. I don't know if you can find one, I got 4 Lbs. of Peanut butter with it. I took a 1/16 inch drill bit and put about 33 holes in it; 8 radiating spokes on a wheel.
Quote from: hankdog1 on May 06, 2011, 10:25:39 PM
those bottom board feeders are a pain if for nothing else but the fact of how you have to watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't go dry. a gallon feeder bucket or jar on top of the hive is best or you can open feed like is being discussed.
By bottom board feeder do you mean an entrance feeder? I like the entrance feeder because I do not have to open a hive and disturb the bees to change it out. Also, like I stated earlier, you can see how much syrup is being taken in, which can be very informative. I have tried the pail feeders from brushy mountain but the hole is so small that very little bees can feed at one time and I think the frame feeders are a joke. They hold little feed and you have to disturb the bees to much. Entrance feeders are inexpensive, require less equipment, and are less disruptive in my opinion.
CapnChkn thats pretty much what im looking at doing, except I was wanting to place it on top of the hives with the hole in the roof. I am not sure how well it would work but with my nucs I do what John Pluta does and I drilled a 1 1/4 inch hole and a soda bottle fits there just perfect. I will be moving some bees to an out yard to help a buddy pollinate his 6 acre garden and figured they may need the syrup because the garden is mainly squash and melons.
Jason
Around here I see many two deep lang hives with a plywood top, a whole cut in the center and a square gallon paint thinner can for the feeder. the whole is covered by a piece of whatever that pivots on one screw on top and hardware cloth below. Open feeding is done in some places too. The wind can knock them off when when not full. Top cover, gallon baggies?
Open feeders need a life raft on top. Use a square shaped plastic bucket build raft that fits inside to about 1/16-1/8 away from the walls. I built a frame, overlayed it with #8 hardware cloth then slatted that with 3/8 spacing between the slats. Reduces drownings durastically.
The idea of open feeding is to prevent robbing. To accomplish that the feeder should be at least 50 feet away from the apiary, preferably near a nectar source (under a fruit tree, amidst a dandilion patch, etc) and move occassionally. In the spring 1 or 2 feedings from a 4-5 gallon bucket is all that should be needed for 2-10 hives.
I like the system because of it's ease. I'm disabled so have to do things that work fairly well that doesn't tax me too much physically.
oops I see I said baggies on top cover when I meant inner cover, For the record I wasn't trying to imply to feed year round. What I see others use is the what not the when. They also have a truck with a tank and pump and some other gear. So far, I've used boardman feeders at the entrance on occasion and others 5 to 20 feet away from hives set up off the ground on something. They find it easier a little closer. First thing I watch out for is ants. The syrup attracts them instantly.
The main reasons I like to put it under an empty hive box of whatever size is:
- It puts the feed out of the way of strays. I had a bunch of trouble last year with robbers, and I needed to avoid any more destruction. It seems I have trouble this year too.
- With the syrup "inside" the temperature remains more constant. It's air pressure that keeps the liquid in. Any change in the temperature can expand the air inside the jar and push the liquid out.
- It keeps a hole out of the roof. I have this on an inner cover which I put over them. I can't think of a way to easily keep rain from driving itself through the hole even with the feeder in place.
Maybe it's because I spent 30 years in Florida where it's either so dry you worry about scraping your feet on the sidewalk because you might start a fire, or you have 6 inches of water in the yard. The outer cover doesn't need an inner cover directly under it because the bees don't get in that chamber. I have a vent hole in the edge of the inner cover to let anybody that sneaks in when I check the feed, out.
The one problem I'm having with this setup is ants. I have used petroleum jelly to make a barrier that has worked before, but now the ants seem to just walk over it. Now they're hanging around on the inner cover and getting into the feed when I open it to add more. I strain it through a nylon stocking. They don't seem to be getting into the hive to bother the bees.
I am trying open feeding in a empty hive full of frame feeders for the second time about a 1/4 mile away. I am tired of opening hives and filling feeders twice a week, worrying about weak colonies getting robbed, etc. If there is too many dead bees ill use more hives and feeders to spread the bees out till they have enough room to avoid the shoving. Ill probably take a video of it tomorrow and put on you tube.
The worst time I had with ants was when using division board feeders inside the hive with dry sugar or syrup. I saw ants all over comb, at the time I expected the bees to take care it. I lost 3 hives with that expectation, saved a 4th. I won't do that again. Now I place it outside the hive. I don't treat the ground for insects, robbing hasn't occurred yet.
Thanks for idea bee-nuts! although 1/4 mile sounds a bit far.
Its not to far. The main reason is so I can keep the feeder near the farm and keep bears from eating it, LOL. The bees find it within minutes. Also means I only have to haul syrup about 50 yards. Last year I let them clean comb and withing a half hour there was a swarm every time.
I want to see that video!