# BeeMax Hive Top Feeder with comb



## Carl F (Aug 6, 2008)

Almost hate to tell you this but I have one that I don't use for some of the reasons you are discovering. Before I put it on the hive the first time I roughed up the inside surface pretty good with a box knife. That was a tip I read in a catalog. It gives the bees something to grip onto climbing to and from the syrup. They did propolize the cover to the body of the feeder but did not build any comb. If you did not scratch the inside of the cover, I wonder if your bees were building the comb to give them better access to the feed???


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## pbwhite (Apr 13, 2009)

Interesting comment, Carl. 

When I first put the feeder on, I didn't think they were taking much syrup at all - and after I added some more (to note the level) I definitely noticed not much syrup being taken.
Then, all of a sudden, the syrup was gone.
So, perhaps they did build comb to facilitate getting to the syrup more easily - however, they also put a ton of syrup that they took from the feeder right in the comb IN the feeder entrance - so perhaps it was a net zero gain for them...


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I would think that if they are drawing comb they don't need feeding nor the feeder on the hives.


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## pbwhite (Apr 13, 2009)

One other thought, after thinking about the 'roughing up' comment - has anyone replaced the bmax poly L-shaped insert with some hardware cloth?


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## pbwhite (Apr 13, 2009)

odfrank said:


> I would think that if they are drawing comb they don't need feeding nor the feeder on the hives.


Is this also the case with a new hive? Everything I've read says to keep feeding if they are drawing out frames.


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## stoweski (Apr 1, 2008)

Second thing I did with the feeders after I bought them was take 80 grit sandpaper and roughen up the plastic guard (first was to paint them). Only issue I've had is that they tend to propolize the plastic to the foam. I've had no comb buildup. We rarely have more than one or two dead bees when we remove the feeders.
I only keep about 1" or less of syrup in them at any given time. The biggest pain is taking the thing on and off when I do an inspection. I try my best to plan my inspections when the syrup is almost gone.

Mold has been an issue, especially after a long hot spell. I'm going to try adding my own essential oil mix (similar to honey-b-healthy) as I hear it's good for the bees (helps with mite control) and the syrup doesn't get moldy as quickly.

Just ordered more feeders for my wooden hives. We'll see how they do. Gotta say, I like them so far.

I should add that after placing the feeder on the hive I drizzle a little syrup down the access area so the bees will know that there is food above. Seems to work well.

Keith


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## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

I use a hacksaw blade to scrape some texture into the styrofoam to make a ladder for the bees under the L shaped cover.

I got some bee equipment from a retiring beekeeper a while back. One of his styrofoam hive top feeders had burr comb in the middle of the entrance into the feeder. I've never had that happen on any of my other styrofoam feeders. The bees could still get to the syrup, so I didn't concern myself with the burr comb.


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

They will draw out comb if they're running out of room to draw in a super. So if you find that they're drawing in the feeder it probably means you need to add another super for them.

To combat the mold I've had great success with Honey-B-Healthy.

If you have a new hive I'd keep feeding them until they draw out as many frames as you'd like, and also have a good food store. For established hives, its time to add honey supers!

-Nathanael


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

pbwhite said:


> Is this also the case with a new hive? Everything I've read says to keep feeding if they are drawing out frames.


Many people on this board treat their bees like they are thoroughbred ponies or poodles. I keep mine like livestock. They are working for me, not coddled like pets. Some initial feeding helps, but from what I read many people never stop. If I feed swarms in this area sometimes they eventually make a small crop the first season, but I normally just let them build up at their own speed.


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## WJensen (Apr 11, 2008)

I've given up on the BeeMax feeder myself. Problems included the bees drowning even after I roughed the inside of the L shaped area with 80 grit sand paper. Then there's the problem of muscling around a couple gallons of feed that the bees don't use without spilling it. Mold does build up, and one wonders whether it may be poisoning the bees (probably not, but you do wonder.) But mostly, the bees never seem to take syrup from one of these things.

Betterbee made the claim that they used it in their apiary, and that it was wonderful for late winter feeding, but I have not seen it. What I use now is quart mason jars inverted over the inner covers, and this has proved satisfactory (though I may need to rethink the first time I break a jar on the way to the apiary.) Have not tried the baggy system yet.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I've found that a lot of the hivetop feeders invite comb building between the top of the frames and the bottom of the feeder, especially inside the "walls" of the feeder where the bees go to the top, screened part. I took a feeder off once just as it was getting empty and I could just about lift the whole hive there was so much comb in there...and filled with syrup too. I felt bad because I wanted that comb INSIDE the hive and not in the feeder. For some reason, it doesn't happen every time. I like hive top feeders because you can refill them quickly, but they're getting to be more work than I like.


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## pbwhite (Apr 13, 2009)

Not a whole lot of love for the hive top feeders out there :scratch:

I decided, for the time being to try out a double jar feeder that I saw at the WV beekeepers blog.

Looked like an easy way to have 'hot swappable' syrup jars  I'm going to keep a tight eye on the syrup intake, and see if it was the HTF that wasn't to their liking, or just that they really don't need the syrup right now.


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

I have only used the bee max hive top when I'm installing a package or swarm, or and ONLY IF NEEDED if spring feeding is needed. Otherwise feeders stay in the shed and the entrance feeders are used for water only on the hive. I do use jars above the hive but again, ONLY IF NEEDED. Otherwise they do perfectly well without my interference. 

I use a bleach solution as was recommended to me in the directions and rinsed it well afterward. This took care of the mold that was visible. Problem with mold is that it never really leaves when it has so many areas to hide and always return when given the right environment. My bees seem to not mind it and I have not seen any negative impacts so far. Propolis seems to be a fact of life that I don't mind.

I'll keep my Bee Max feeders. Now if I can just keep from falling on them!!!!


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

WJensen said:


> Have not tried the baggy system yet.


I just started trying the baggy system and I'm pleasantly surprised. My advice is to avoid the cheap "dollar store" bags and go with the better quality. The price difference will be recouped when your syrup doesn't run out of the bag. Secondly, don't make your cuts too long on the top of the bag. I was surprised how fast the bees found the slits!

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## bluelake (Jan 17, 2011)

Ive had ants chew into the foam to find their way through to the syrup. My packages got a late start, and even with that in mind Im wondering if I should just abandon the feeding entirely. Through neglect my feeders sat atop the hives empty and I ended up with nearly all of the problems listed above. Bees seemd to be doing fine without it.


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

I have those beemax feeders. I only use them during the winter. When it gets colder, I put it on over the inner cover, & fill it with 2:1 syrup & cover it with the foam lid. I can fill it up without disturbing the colony until spring. 
Once spring gets here, take that thing off! Its a pain in the tail to pick up with a load of syrup in it and there is not a good way to set it down without crushing bees. Plus you will fight that mold that grows in it. So I switch to those jar feeders that fit on top of an inner cover with holes in em. Way easier way to feed if you need to.
I have a few friends that have been keeping bees for quite some time and have 300 or so hives. They love those foam hive top feeders, especially for the winter feeding. My personal opinion, for me, I like em for the winter, I like the jars for the rest of the time. My Russian bees will take syrup from them all winter pretty much, my Italians wont hardy touch it.
Those beemax feeders are heavy duty & I like that I can throw a strap around the whole thing and cinch the hive down to the stand & it doesnt crush the top. Its weather resistant & they glue it to the top of the hive pretty well. I like it, but it usefulness is limited to me.

Rob


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