Hi folks! I bought these this past winter to use for feeding winter patties and early spring syrup baggies. They’re super helpful and came with entrance holes with plastic plugs in case you don’t want an upper entrance.
When I put my Flow super on one hive, I was not quite finished with my refurbishment project and the peaked cover/roof still needed another coat of sealant. I used a feeder rim to provide just enough space under a standard outer cover to be able to open the back door for viewing. And, was happy to let the bees keep their top entrance, so returning foragers can fly straight into the super. I even left it on after I replaced the standard outer cover with the Flow peaked roof when it was ready - it bumps the roof up enough for the notch on the inner cover to work as an upper entrance.
got a photo of the sugar bags? I would be interested in seeing that. If not please think “winter time photo” or when ever it’s in use. Think that shim would work on top of the queen excluder and under the flow super? Thanks!
Here’s one I found on the web. You fill a ziplock baggie with sugar syrup, place it on the top bars of the brood box and make two or three slashes in it with a razor blade. Carefully push on the bag to make the air escape, if any remains, in order to create a vacuum that will contain the syrup. The bees can climb into the bag and drink from the slits. Based on the timing & weather I’ve also put the baggies on top of the inner cover, then the feeder rim & then the outer cover - that way I don’t have to open the hive to replace the feed, just lift the lid.
About putting it on top of the QE and under the Flow - sure, why not? So far I haven’t seen any issues with bridge comb in the space it makes.
I figured the bees were not Olympic swimmers. I like this idea because it adds flexibility to ones equipment. I now have a stack of equipment! Winter equipment and summer equipment.
Putting the bag right on top of the bars like in the picture could be risky if the beek is very clumsy or careless I suppose. But you’d have to bump the hive hard to get any to slosh out - it can’t just leak out on its own because a vacuum is created when the air pockets move out, which occurs spontaneously when the cuts are made in a well-filled bag. Sometimes there’s a stray air bubble or two that easily escape with gently pushing it toward the slits. An easy safeguard is to just put it on top of the inner cover, which is what I do.
I like this idea because it adds flexibility to ones equipment. I now have a stack of equipment! Winter equipment and summer equipment.