Feeding Accessories

Feeding accessories are the small parts, apart from the feeder itself, that make feeding safe and practical: the crown board with a feed hole and its cover, the feeding eke, floats and climbing grids, access cones, perforated jar lids, funnels and stirrers, entrance reducers and water-point stones. These small parts are as important as the feeder in preventing bees from drowning, feed from spilling and robbing.

What are feeding accessories for?

The same feeder can be safe with the right accessory and dangerous with one missing. For example, hundreds of bees can drown overnight in a top feeder without a float; a crown board hole whose cover has been lost lets the hive's heat escape; a hive without an entrance reducer can be robbed during feeding. Accessories do four basic jobs:

• Protecting the bees: Floats, grids and access cones that prevent drowning.
• Getting the feed to the cluster: The crown board hole, the feeding eke, perforated lids.
• Preparing and carrying feed without spilling it: Measuring jug, stirrer, funnel, container with a tap.
• Defending the colony: Entrance reducers and leak-proof lids.

The crown board and feed hole

The crown board is the inner cover that closes the top of the hive's frames. The feed hole in its centre lets you give fondant, pollen patties or an inverted jar feeder without opening the hive fully. When not in use the hole must be closed tightly; a hole left open causes heat loss in winter and leads bees to build comb under the roof in summer.

The feeding eke (spacer rim)

A feeding eke is a frame the same size as the hive body and a few centimetres high. It creates space between the top bars and the roof for fondant, pollen patties or a bag of syrup. The height of the eke is chosen to suit the feed: a few centimetres is enough for fondant; a jar needs a taller eke or an empty box. In winter an eke that is taller than necessary leaves a cold air space above the cluster.

Accessories that prevent drowning

Bees drowning in syrup is the most common and the most easily prevented loss in feeding. To prevent it:

• Float or mesh: Floats on top of the syrup and gives the bees a surface to stand on. It can be wood, food-grade plastic mesh or a perforated sheet.
• Climbing grid: A wire or plastic grid in frame feeders and access slots that lets bees climb down to the syrup and back up.
• Narrow channels: Keeping the channel width narrow in slotted or round feeders stops bees falling in.
• Rough inner surface: Slippery plastic surfaces are sanded or coated with a suitable material to give a grip.

Access cones and feeder covers

In top feeders the bees reach the feed through a slot or chimney. An access cover or transparent cone fitted over this passage stops the bees spreading into the syrup reservoir and lets you refill the feeder without meeting the bees. Transparent covers also help you see whether the bees are taking the feed without opening the hive. A top feeder whose cover is lost or broken should not be used.

Perforated jar and bucket lids

In inverted container feeders, it is the lid that does the work. The small holes in the lid (or fine wire mesh) keep the syrup in place by vacuum while the bees take it drop by drop. If the holes are too big, the syrup runs out and wets the hive; if there are too few or they are too small, the bees cannot take it fast enough. Inverting the container outside the hive and waiting for a few drops to run out before placing it lets the vacuum settle and reduces dripping inside the hive.

Accessories for preparing and carrying feed

• Measuring jug and scales: Syrup ratios are by weight; thin syrup 1 : 1, thick syrup 2 : 1.
• Stirrer: A wooden spoon, a stainless paddle or, for large quantities, a food-grade mixing attachment fitted to a drill.
• Funnel and container with a tap: The easiest way to fill a feeder without spilling. Spilled syrup means robbing.
• Greaseproof paper and cling film: Cover fondant and pollen patties to stop them drying out.
• Lidded storage containers: Protect prepared feed from ants, mice and dust.

The entrance reducer

The feeding period, especially when the flow has ended, is when robbing starts most easily. An entrance reducer is a simple piece of wood or metal that narrows the entrance to a width that only a few bees can pass through. Guard bees defend a narrow entrance much more easily. A reducer must always be fitted when feeding weak colonies, splits and new swarms. In hot weather, rather than closing it completely, leave an opening that does not block ventilation.

Water point and landing stones

The apiary water point is also a feeding accessory. Bees carry water to dissolve the sugar in fondant, feed brood and cool the hive. Stones, gravel, moss or floating pieces of wood placed in a shallow container give the bees a safe landing place. No sugar or medicine is added to the water point; sugar water amounts to open feeding and starts robbing. Details are on the Feeding Stations page.

Feeding accessories comparison table

Accessory	Function	Caution
Crown board with feed hole	Giving fondant and jars without opening the hive	Close the hole when not in use
Feeding eke	Space for fondant and pollen patties	Not taller than necessary in winter
Float / grid	Preventing drowning	Should be in every feeder
Access cone / cover	Stopping bees spreading into the reservoir	Do not use a feeder with a broken cover
Perforated lid	Inverted container feeder	Hole size must be balanced
Funnel, container with a tap	Filling without spilling	Use for feed only
Entrance reducer	Defence against robbing	Do not cut off ventilation
Water point and landing stones	Providing clean water	Do not add sugar; refresh the water

Cleaning and storing accessories

• Floats, grids and covers hold syrup residues; they should be washed in hot water and dried after every feeding.
• Accessories moved between hives without cleaning can carry disease agents. Keep those from colonies suspected of disease or that have died separate.
• Store wooden parts in a dry place; in a damp store they go mouldy and warp.
• Do not leave plastic parts in the sun for long; they can become brittle.

Common mistakes

• Feeding without a float: Drowning losses often go unnoticed; if dead bees are accumulating in the feeder, an accessory is missing.
• Leaving the crown board hole open: Heat loss in winter, irregular comb under the roof in summer.
• Using chemical containers as feed containers: Pesticide, paint and oil drums are not used, even when cleaned.
• Feeding without a reducer: Weak colonies are easily robbed during feeding.
• Leaving spilled syrup: Syrup dripping on top of and in front of the hive attracts robber bees and hornets.