# mann lake top feeder



## concrete-bees (Jun 20, 2009)

i have about 20 of them and they are nice - they hold a lot - which can be good and bad - 
the good --

holds about 4 gallons 
stack nice when not in use
very little drowning 


the cons 

holds about 4 gallons - and if left on a weak hive the feed can go bad 
cant use vented mig lids or vented tele lids - as massive robbing can take place leading to piles of dead bees 
cost is very high
one more piece to have to stack and sort or paint 
dont work well in early spring or late fall 

but all in all a good product - mine get used so they are not that bad 
if using vented lids maybe advisible to place plastic sheeting over the feed before fitting lid on -or seal off the vent

for the price id order more frame style feeders from mann lake or mother lode - they are cheaper and fit in the hive - 
for $3 each it makes sence for a guy with 1000 hives as that is only $3000 for feeders - where as with the hive top feeders at $25 each - that $25,000 for feeders 
but if you have a few hives id say ya - nice piece to have 

thats my take on them - best of luck in your beekeeping


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## Dynasty (Sep 25, 2011)

i was looking at those and thought, hmm with that drown gaurd/screen/cage,,, whats to prevent other robber bees from coming in the top of the inner cover and taking the syrup there. figure you have to screen the inner cover vent hole to prevent this?


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Another nice thing about top feeders are you don't have to suit up to fill them. I have 4 and I've used 1 of them so far. Come to find out, I don't like them. They cost to much money and I got quit a bit of dead bees. I use frame 

feeders and like them, OK. I got them used with no tops or ladders so I used some aluminum screen and and made a u shape with it and shoved it all the way to the bottom and then i took a couple 1''x2'' pieces about 3'' long and 

stapled them to the inside along the top. I use migratory tops and if I had the money I would use the black plastic barrels inverted in a hole.


I'm running 45 hives in French Camp, CA.


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

I have several, and the way I stopped the robbers from getting free syrup is to caulk the rim of the feeder with latex caulk and before it dries place a piece of fiberglass window screen the size of the top of the feeder on and it becomes a robber stopper and when you pour the syrup in it also filters out the grass, leaves and dead bees that seem to get into the syrup before hand...


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## Rex Piscator (Oct 12, 2010)

@ Dynasty: I keep the inner cover hole covered with a small scrap of 1/8" hardware cloth.....staple it down[watch how long your staples are!!]; or just wait for the colony to propolize it to the inner cover[as I did]. Unless you use/need the upper entrance. I get some 'robbers' buzzing around the screen trying to remove the propolis; but the team inside is working to replace it just as quickly.

In our 'mild' California climate; I also run with the inner cover as my outer cover[until temps get low]....imagine that[sort of a poor man's migratory top]!! I put a couple of my 3/8" spacers on each side of the screen/hole and place a small scrap of 1 x 6 to shade the opening.

I'm a first year bee keeper, so take my observations/suggestions with some salt for flavour.

I am a keen observer, though...with the 'decorative' top on; bees beard out front[and have no activity to perform]. When I remove the cover and place my scrap over the opening; the bearding vanishes and bee activities continue.


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## Seymore (May 1, 2009)

Mine are from Brushy Mountain. Not answering your question about ML, per se, but re: hive top feeders, I have few problems with them on my 2 hives. They come with slotted baffles, so they float as you pour in syrup. I usually only put a gallon in at a time - they are nearby so filling is not a problem. I also use a screened IC in my hives. I put this on top of the feeder. When I need to fill, I pop the lid and pour. Nothing but hungry bees who can't get out staring at me. And, obviously, robbers can't get in.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

We have a few of them, if the screen doesn't fit properly you need to silicone the perimeter of the screen. Never had robber able to get in the top with a telescoping cover on the feeder.
All in all I like them.


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## Risky Beesness (Dec 29, 2010)

I used a couple of these all summer and i like them for their volume, but I pulled them out today and I am going with all pail feeders. I can't keep ants out of them since the bees are screened in. One of them was empty but totally covered with ants. My hives with pail feeders don't have any ant problems. Not to mention the Lowes pails are a fraction of the cost and much easier to clean.


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

I solved the ant problem on my hive top feeder for the most part. I took vegtable oil and poured powdered cinnamon in it, mixed it up and painted the outside of the hive top feeders box with it all the way round. Amazing how ants just hate cinnamon. Thanks goodness for that.

Rod


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

larrymn said:


> can they be used in the spring with package bees?


If you are referring to the hive top feeder that consists of a plastic insert in a wooden frame....you will not want to use them in the spring. There is way too much open space on the bottom side and the bees will fill it with comb and honey/brood. They will attach it to the tops of the frames below. It can be a huge mess. 
For off season feeding they work fine.


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