Types of Feeders for Beekeeping

Learn about the different types of feeders for your Langstroth beehive, the most common hive style, and when and how to use each of them.

 Inverted Pail Feeder
An inverted pail feeder is just that: a plastic pail, usually one gallon in size, that has a small opening in the middle with a friction-fit plug with holes and a screen in it, through which the bees drink the syrup.

Once full of syrup, the pail is inverted over the inner cover hole. Just like a water cooler, the liquid is held in with vacuum pressure, but when the bees drink it, it flows easily.

This setup requires an extra hive body, which is placed around the inverted pail. The outer cover is placed on top of the hive body.

Pros:
Fairly high capacity - although must be filled at least weekly
Easy to handle
Can refill without disturbing the colony much
Inexpensive and DIY-friendly

Cons:
With very cold nights and warm days, can "pump" syrup onto the bees
Limited access to syrup means only a few bees can feed at one time
Requires an extra deep hive body placed around it


Miller or Hivetop Feeder
This type of feeder, as you might guess, sits on top of the Langstroth beehive, with the outer cover providing protection from robbing. It can hold one to three gallons of syrup. Bees enter the feeder from below via a screened access hole.

Pros:
High capacity
Can refill without removing the feeder
Can refill without disturbing the colony

Cons:
Some drowning
Heavy and awkward to move when full

Frame or Division Board Feeder
A frame feeder is a plastic container that is shaped like a wooden hive frame. It replaces two frames along the wall and can be filled with a pint or two of sugar syrup. Ribbed pieces of plastic are often inserted like ladders into the syrup so that bees can climb out.

I personally tried two division board feeders in my hives and found them full of dead, drowned bees in a week. I ended up removing them and went back to a pail feeder.

Pros:
Inexpensive
Can refill without removing the feeder

Cons:
Often heavy drowning of bees occurs
You only have eight frames in the hive body with this feeder
Must smoke and open colony to refill


Boardman or Entrance Feeder
A Boardman or entrance feeder is often provided in "starter" hive kits. It consists of a small, inverted jar of syrup that sits in a wooden device in at the hive entrance. The bees access the feed from just inside the hive entrance. Vacuum pressure delivers just a bit of syrup at a time.

Pros:
Inexpensive and often included in kits
Can refill without disturbing the colony

Cons:
Relatively small capacity
Encourages robbing because of smell and sight of syrup outside the hive
Syrup spoils quickly in the hot sun
In spring bees are not clustered at entrance so can be ineffective for feeding
Risk stinging by guard bees when refilling


Baggie Feeder
One-gallon zip-close plastic bags can be laid on top of frames. Pour roughly three quarts of syrup into a one-gallon bag, zip it up and lay it on the top bars. Use a razor blade to cut several slits in the air bubble in the top of the bag. Squeeze the bag slightly to allow a little syrup to ooze. Cover the baggie feeder with an empty super and an outer cover.

Pros:
Very inexpensive
Puts feed in easy access spot
No drowning

Cons:
Must disturb bees to refeed
Relatively small capacity
Bags are disposable; can't reuse