# Using a Rapid Feeder and the Quilt Box....confused



## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

Usually people cut a flap or a hole in the burlap/cloth that lays on top of the top bars, place the feeder on top, and then put an empty box around it. Then they put the quilt and roof above that. I'd remove it if the weather is nice and there is plenty blooming. 

Best,
Matt


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

Cacklewack is right. It's also better to feed a little and often, otherwise the bees will start storing it reducing the potential brood area and even causing the bees to swarm.

Relax and enjoy your bees. Good luck.

Stephen


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## b_thistle (May 17, 2013)

Awesome! Thanks for your help! One last question. I live in Georgia and the weather is already in the 80s here with lots of things blooming. We have peas, clover, tomatoes, potatoes, roses, azaleas, jasmine vine, a blueberry patch with 35 blueberries, and more...all starting to bloom. I know there's no hard and fast answer but when do you think I should I take the feeder out? I definitely don't want to encourage swarming by loading them up with too much food.


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## beeman2009 (Aug 23, 2012)

With all that blooming I'd take the feeder off now unless it's constantly raining there so that they cannot forage.


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## b_thistle (May 17, 2013)

Thanks Beeman2009. But the bee package hasn't arrived yet. It will be installed in the hive tomorrow. We were wondering how long to feed them after we install them tomorrow.


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

Feed them until they reached wintering size: two or three boxes drawn comb. Such colonies are too weak at the beginning to do all the tasks: building, foraging, brood care. So there might be a nectar flow, but the bees cannot make use of it. First year they need to establish and any break in feeding means a egg laying and comb building break. Means wintering trouble.

If you feed smaller quantaties constantly, you cannot overdo. If the bees are strong and there is plenty of fresh nectar available in the fields, they ignore the feed. You'll notice this. 

So keep on feeding until two or three boxes are finished. If that is a vigirous colony, that can be in two, three weeks. Gradually stop feeding, no full stop. That would shock them too much. In late summer check for stores and make sure they have enough. In mild climates one solid box of food, in harsh climates you need two boxes solid honey. (Bottom box must be empty comb. Bees freeze to death on solid honey, they should sit on empty comb (former brood) and honey overhead. So you are preparing for winter now, what you need is comb, comb, comb. So they need to build as much as they can.


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

Use an inner cover, same as Lang hives. All my warre's have plain 1 hole feeder covers. Got rid of the quilt years ago. Water must have not constructed hives,or he would a used the plain cover,too. Its better, & u can feed w/ a mason jar& spare box.


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

True. I use an inner cover, too. No quilt. I use feeding buckets above the inner cover with one central hole in it. Or the rapid feeder, which is good for swarms and splits.


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## Rookhawk (May 20, 2013)

I suggest cutting a piece of plywood 13.5" square, or whatever your warre dimensions are. Bore 5 2" holes in it so it looks like a number 5 side of dice. Staple #7 or #8 hardware cloth to the top. Put it above the hive. Then up to 5 jars on the screen covered holes. Then an empty box, then the quilt, then the roof.

It can feed way more bees than a top feeder and it has no drowning...and it's frugal.


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