Can they drink through this?

Dabbler · June 25, 2020, 02:59:28 PM

I am in the process of constructing a NUC sized top feeder (Fat Bee Man design).
Normally I use #8 screen to cover the "ladder" portion but just discovered I am "out of stock".

Are the holes in regular window screening too small for a bee proboscis to drink[attachment=0][/attachment]?

Thanks for your thoughts.

iddee · June 25, 2020, 03:16:37 PM

They can do fine with screen. Packages of bees are fed regularly through screen boxes.

Dabbler · June 25, 2020, 03:52:56 PM

Superb !
Thanks Iddee !

Acebird · June 25, 2020, 03:56:03 PM

Do they drink through the screen or is it just a ladder?

Dabbler · June 25, 2020, 04:18:05 PM

Through the screen.

They come up a channel at the back and then down through the screened in "ladder" to access the syrup.
[attachment=0][/attachment][/attachment]

.30WCF · June 25, 2020, 11:23:56 PM

The are not drinking through the screen there. Syrup is inside the ladder at the same level it is outside the ladder.

Dabbler · June 26, 2020, 08:47:00 AM

You are correct.

This dawned on me later in the day.

This is why multi-tasking (working on beekeeping equipment while "working" from home) is a bad idea. . . . Well . . . one of a couple reasons.

Sundog · June 27, 2020, 12:17:23 AM

Works pretty well. I need to find a bigger container, they slurp this one dry in a few days.