Mann lake vs. Betterbee top feeder obs

[KONASDAD]

I have now used five diff types of feeders. Some observations.

Notes and observations of diff feeders.

Glass Jars-dont hold enough and lose vacuum in cold weather and dump their contents.

Ziplock Bags- dont hold enough, but dont kill bees at all. Will use'm for nucs as they are perfect for that.

Frame feeders. Hassle, kill bees and require removing frames when you need those frames filled. Too many manipulations do be helpful.

Beterbee top feeder. Very rigid plastic. Bees dont have any accesss to top and dont drown. Bees eventualy only have access to one end for feeding as the syrup reduces in volume leaving the other end empty and dry. Doesn't hold enough syrup or as much as Mann lakes. Bees also have a lot let access to syrup and it takes longer to consume as a result. Dont require aditional super so less equipment. Dont require additional adjustments to make'm work. Maybe the easist and most convenient. No space for burr comb under feeder lioke Mann's. Not bad...

Mann Lake- when they work, the best. You must insure their integrity at all points. I duct tape down all of the screen edges and use window insulation along top edge to prevent bees from getting in under telescoping top. They hold a lot and when they malfunction kill lots of bees so check'em regularly. They are made of inferior plastic and will crack and also need an additional super. They can hold loads of syrup and give the bees lots of access in large areas along the middle lenght of the feeder, no matter how much syrup is left.

[Robo]

I'll admit up front that I am biased as well, and not trying to change anyone elses opinion. I don't necessarily disagree with any facts you have stated, however, I think you missed a few criteria that are important for someone who may be evaluating feeder option.  Like cost, easy of use, robbing, and bee access (especially important for Northerners).

Here are my opinions -> http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/feeder-compare/

[KONASDAD]

Agreed. None of these promote robbing, unless their are gaps or access. Cost is always an issue. The top feeders are most expensive of those listed.

[Brian D. Bray]

>>Glass Jars-dont hold enough and lose vacuum in cold weather and dump their contents.

1. What are you using pint jars? Quart jars?  Obtain some 1 gallon pickle/relish jars (glass not plastic) and do not remove the gasket material on the lid.  If it leaks make a gasket out of paper, wax,  or poster board.
2. You didn't mention 1 gallon paint cans, they seal well and will not leak regardless of how hot or cold it gets if completely sealed.  Yes they are a little more hassle to use--banging down the lid, but that is a minor inconvience.

The only type of feeder commonally used today that I haven't tried is the baggie feeder--which I plan to use on the warmer days of winter on my nucsto see how they work out.  I will take a 1 gallon jar or paint can over every other type of feeder any and every day of the week.

IMO, if you're having problems with either a gallon jar or paint can the fault is in the user not the method of delivery.

[Jerrymac]

Around here the temp difference from day to night is 30 degrees or more. This causes the jars to breath. If the bees don't empty it out in one day then the air, liquid condenses in the cold and expands as it heats up and dumps out the contents on the bees. One reason I stopped feeding inside the hive.

[woodchopper]

The brown,plastic Betterbee feeders don't fit well on some brands of woodenware. They are wide enough but seem to be 1/2 too short on our supers which are made by Brushy Mt. Anyone else notice this ?

[Brian D. Bray]

The betterbee hive top feeder is designed to fit on the hive with the telescopic top fitting down over it--that is why it is smaller dementionally.  Also, IMO, it's designed to allow access from the outside.  I bought 2 to use on 5 frame nucs, I ended up building a frame around them to make them work the way I wanted them to.  I also had to remove the Plastic flange on each end and replace it with screen.

[TwT]

the hive top feeder I like the best is the Bee Max hive top feeder from Betterbee, all the feeders I build are like it except the beemax is styrofoam, mine is 4 years old and still going strong, not a problem with it yet....

http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=409


this is one like I build, this is not mine but a friends feeder, mine is the same design just build a little different

[Cindi]

Konasdad.  A lot of great observations, yeah, good for you!!!!

I think that I am hooked on the baggie feeders.  Until extremely recently I have used the plastic inner frame feeder (holds 3.8 ltrs, almost one gallon) of sugar syrup.  I have been fairly pleased with it, except that it takes up space in the box, and that a few bees do no doubt get drowned and they build burr comb inside.  Some problems.

So I tried the ziploc double zipper bag put on top of the inner cover (that has a hole in it near the back so I have lots of room to put on the inner cover the almost gallon size baggie).  The baggie sits nicely near the front of the inner cover, lots of room for human manipulation of the baggie and bees love to come up and sip drinks.  No squishing bees because the hole is near the rear of the inner cover.

The large baggie feeder holds almost a gallon of liquid, not quite, but close.  The slits I make are very small, in my short experience with them, with larger slits the bees can climb inside the feeder, the more numerous smaller slits, the bees stay out.  The slits must only be placed on the top of the bag, not on the sides where the baggie starts to slope (learned that the hard way) because the gravity pulls the liquid out the sloped side of the filled bag.

Without a doubt I am hooked on the baggie feeder style.  No disturbance to the hive, whatsover, and I can carry 9 baggies in a big bucket out to the apiary and take out one at a time.  It is heavy, but so simple.   Again, I am hooked.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day in this great life.  Cindi

[Dick Allen]

Many people don't realize that baggy feeders can be left in place and refilled with a pressurized garden type sprayer. Just place the wand inside the slits, squeeze the wand's handle and refill the bag.

[Cindi]

Dick, that sounds good in theory.  When the weather is nicer, that would be the optimum way to do it.  That is a great tip by the way.  But the way I do things -- it is much simpler for me to do it this way:

I process the sugar syrup in my kitchen and fill up the baggies and take them to the apiary.  I am in the comfort of my kitchen and it takes only moments from the kitchen to the apiary, to open the lid, place the baggie in (after removing the empty one) and then closing up.  If the weather were nicer outside, maybe the pressure sprayer would work, but it is fiddling around.  We have our horrible rainy season now; and the less time I have to spend in the rain with the bees is optimal. Keeping your advice in my mind.....Have a wonderful and beautiful day on our planet, Earth.  Cindi

[reinbeau]

The betterbee hive top feeder is designed to fit on the hive with the telescopic top fitting down over it--that is why it is smaller dementionally.

I don't know about that, Brian, the telescoping cover comes nowhere near covering it - it just doesn't fit. 

Also, IMO, it's designed to allow access from the outside.

This is true, it's very easy to refill without having to deal with bees boiling up through the center!

I bought 2 to use on 5 frame nucs, I ended up building a frame around them to make them work the way I wanted them to.  I also had to remove the Plastic flange on each end and replace it with screen.

Now I'm wondering if we're talking about the same thing - these are the brown plastic feeders with the white mesh ends  :?

[Brian D. Bray]

Betterbee put out a new hive top feeder for a 5 frame nuc that is just like their full size feeder only cut down in width.  New for 07.

[Old Timer]

Betterbee put out a new hive top feeder for a 5 frame nuc that is just like their full size feeder only cut down in width.  New for 07.

brushy mountain have them too.

I will take a 1 gallon jar or paint can over every other type of feeder any and every day of the week.

i absolutely agree.

[reinbeau]

Betterbee put out a new hive top feeder for a 5 frame nuc that is just like their full size feeder only cut down in width.  New for 07.

I understand that, but we were talking about the hivetop feeder for full size, not nuc - and if it fits like the full-sized one, then as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't fit right!  There is a rather large gap, the girls were using it for a top entrance, it would be very easy for robbers to get in unless you take measures to close the gap.  The telescoping cover does not fit over it all the way down, it's deeper than the cover.  The flange needs to be 1/4" longer at the front and at the back - the side to side dimension fits perfectly.

[annette]

Thanks Konasdad,

I have been using the Mann Lake with super results once I duct tape down the screens. But I am curious about the betterbee ones you used, as I like the idea of slowing the bees down.

Thanks for the observations and great information.

Annette

[trapperbob]

I've been using the top feeder from bee-commerce.com and really have been happy with it. It hold around 3 gallons and I can't say that no bees drowned but very few did more drowned the first time that I filled it, since I filled it to fast. but since then only 3-4 every time I visited.

[qa33010]

    I also like the white styrene top feeder from Better Bee (I'm not sure who else carries them).  I've been using it for over two years now and have never had a problem with tops or anything else.  I messed up and killed some one day when I didn't put the "bee hood" in right.  I'm ordering more this year for next spring.  I also use the large entrance feeders from BetterBee (this I know Brushy Mountian carries, saw it in their catalog tonight) at both the entrance or, if there is a large chance of robbing, a couple placed above the brood in an empty box.


Edit:  They do recomend painting to protect them from the environment.

[Moonshae]

I understand that, but we were talking about the hivetop feeder for full size, not nuc - and if it fits like the full-sized one, then as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't fit right!  There is a rather large gap, the girls were using it for a top entrance, it would be very easy for robbers to get in unless you take measures to close the gap.  The telescoping cover does not fit over it all the way down, it's deeper than the cover.  The flange needs to be 1/4" longer at the front and at the back - the side to side dimension fits perfectly.

Maybe Betterbee and the manufacturer of your hives use different dimensions? Mine fit perfectly, but I got my hives from Betterbee, too.

[reinbeau]

The boxes are pretty standard, I've got both Dadant and Brushy Mountain purchased supers and they're all the same, so I don't think that's the case.  I've been known to be wrong once or twice, however  ;)