Bee Feeders
Bee feeders play a crucial role in supporting the health and wellbeing of honey bees, ensuring their survival and productivity. At Buzzbee, we stock a great range of beekeeping feeders designed to provide bees with supplemental food sources, especially during times when natural nectar and pollen are scarce. Whether you want an entrance bee feeder, flow hive bee feeder, rapid round bee feeder, bee hive top feeder, bee frame feeder or homemade bee feeder, we can help.
The Purposes of a Bee Feeder
A honey bee feeder has several important purposes. Firstly, feeders help bees to maintain their energy levels by providing readily available carbohydrates that are necessary for flight and other day-to-day tasks. They also ensure that bees have access to essential nutrients such as proteins and vitamins, especially when floral resources are limited. In addition, a bee feeder for hives can aid in the development and reproduction of a bee colony. Beekeepers often use a bee hive feeder to support their colonies, particularly during the winter months or when colonies are establishing themselves.
Selecting an Appropriate Feeder
A feeder for bees typically consists of containers or devices that hold liquid or solid feed, allowing the bees to access and consume the contents easily. A bee water feeder is often filled with sugar water or sugar syrup, mimicking the natural nectar found in flowers. Solid feeders, on the other hand, can be filled with pollen substitute or a combination of pollen and sugar to provide a more complete diet.
It’s essential to select appropriate bee hiver feeder plans and maintain them properly to ensure their effectiveness. Regularly monitor feed levels, clean the bee feeder to prevent contamination and make sure you use quality feed ingredients.
How to Make a Bee Feeder Jar
You'll need a clean glass jar with a lid, several small holes punched in the lid, a mixture of water and sugar syrup. The sugar to water ratios change based on the sugar syrup required for the appropriate task. The below may assist you for your need:
- Autumn Feeding - We recommend 2:1 (sugar:water by volume)
- Spring Feeding - We recommend 1:1 (sugar:water by volume)
- New Colonies/NUC - We recommend 2:1 (sugar:water by volume)
- Emergency Feeding - We recommend 2:1 (sugar:water by volume)
In addition to the above some floral scents like essential oils and Mineral Bee can be added. Fill the jar with the mixture, close it tightly and place it upside down, with the lid facing down.
Where is the Best Place to Put a Bee Feeder?
The best place to place your bee feeder, is within the beehive itself. Reason being is the food source is very close to the brood meaning the bees don’t need to travel far to collect resources. As the feeder, in particular top and frame feeders are enclosed within the hive, robbing is greatly reduced.
If open communal feeders are established, the best place to put a bee feeder is in a sheltered location with easy access for bees, such as a garden or near flowering plants. It should be placed away from strong winds and direct sunlight, ensuring a stable and undisturbed environment for the bees to feed. Please be aware some states, counties and councils disallow the practice of open feeding because it can helps spread diseases amongst bees.
How Often Do You Need to Fill a Bee Feeder?
The frequency of refilling a bee feeder depends on factors such as the size of the feeder, the number of bees and the availability of nectar sources. Generally, bee feeders need to be refilled every few days or once a week, ensuring a constant supply of food.
How Do You Feed Bees with a Feeder?
Fill the bee hive feeder with a sugar-water solution (1:1 ratio of white sugar and water) and place it near the beehive, ensuring it has small holes for the bees to access the liquid. Regularly refill the feeder to provide a continuous food source for the bees.
How do you make Sugar Syrup for bees?
We have created some instructions in how to make Sugar Syrup for your bees in the following blog:
https://buzzbee.com.au/blogs/info/how-make-sugar-syrup-for-bees
This covers the various types of purposes on sugar syrup for your beehive colony.
Shop Online Today
If you’re searching for the best bee feeder or want a bee feeder DIY kit, look no further than Buzzbee. We have no shortage of quality options to choose from, including:
- Bee entrance feeder
- Top bee feeder
- Bee feeder for flow hive
- Bee frame feeder
- Rapid bee feeder
- Bee sugar syrup feeder
- And much more
Check out what we have to offer online today, or get in touch with us for more details. We can also advise you on how to make a bee feeder that meets your needs.