I Redesigned My DIY Jar Feeder & Got 100x Results! 🐝🛠️

[@FrederickDunn]

I have a viewer named Shawn, from SD. He suggested that I check this video out. I'm glad I did, and I'll be giving you a shout-out on Friday. I think you'll have no problem at all getting testers for your sponge-clad feeder lid. Wishing you all the best as your tests and observations continue. :)

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Hey Fred, it's such an honor to have you comment in our KZbin community 🙌 and even more exciting to get a shout-out 🎉! I really appreciate it! I've been watching The Way to Bee for years and have valued your guidance in our personal emails about the Flow Hive-compatible feeder prototype. Thank you for all that you do for the beekeeping community!

[@rainyacres6523]

Great discovery Shawn! Congratulations. Im sure glad Fred did the shout-out.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Thanks, Rainy Acres! I'm glad that you enjoyed the video.

[@SIBEEMAN]

Shawn, your drive and intelligent analysis will propel you to succeed with this feeder. You are an asset to the beekeeping community and a joy to watch!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Carmine, thank you so much for such kind words. With the parasites, diseases, and other bee stressors, beekeeping seems to get harder every year. I hope that we can all make beekeeping just a little bit easier by finding solutions to these problems. Thanks again for the encouragement. 🙏 -Michael

[@-Dwight-Schrute]

I signed up at your site. I love the sponge idea! You'll have to explain how you stick them to the lids and keep them there for those without hardware cloth holding jars up like your experiment. Do you have a preference on having the inner cover holding the jars by the glass or having them rest against screens?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Dwight, I'll definitely do a video on this. The Insider's club also has a video on how this works in depth, if you're interested. High level is that the sponges that we're using are cut at a size that they fit under the jar ring and stay in place. Originally, we glued them to the lid, but have found it's unnecessary. Regarding the inner cover, you can go either way, mostly the hardware cloth is a convenience to the beekeeper. We've also noticed that it gives the bees more traction as well across the entire lid, which is useful. Let me know which way you decide to go on this.

[@-Dwight-Schrute]

I've joined the VIB club. My name is Justin Hudson, I only go by Dwight Schrute as tribute to "The Office". I couldn't find videos on the site, where are they located? ​@TechnicallyBeekeeping

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@-Dwight-Schrute Lol, I saw the dwight office avatar but didn't know his last name, so I just assumed you had it because your first name was Dwight. 🤣 Thanks, Justin.

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

Man! Brilliant experiment! Great work pushing this hobby forward!

[@SquidSquid-x9u]

I use regular pin holed lids on my feeders. I always wondered why the bees liked to place wax on the lid covering some holes in the process. traction! who knew! thx for the insight.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Thanks, Squid. I came a similar conclusion with the video below about pin holing lids. I have some new research on traction that I've been doing, currently researching the most recent results tonight. So much to figure out still. Stay tuned. kzbin.info/www/bejne/foTSq2Wan82Wbqc

[@pete0205]

I use jar feeders in conjunction with #8 wire which is stapled over the inner cover hole on my nucs. You can't use a mason jar lid & ring because the lid is then off the screen and often out of reach or the bees proboscis. I use one piece metal lids and with the bees holding on to the #8 wire I would think they can access all the holes successfully. Maybe something for you to try with your camera setup? I wonder if the use of sponge with the mason jar ring on top of the #8 wire would cause the sponge to drip? This time of year I have only 4 holes in the lid so it can take the bees 4-7 days to empty a quart. In the spring I'll have many more holes or may try the sponge as I want the bees to build rapidly. Good stuff, thanks!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Pete, actually most of our VIB testers are using hardware cloth. It was a challenge at first, but we've figured out some clever workarounds. The sponge helps in that it peaks though the hardware cloth. That said, I suspect that hardware cloth gives the bees plenty of traction as you say, not leaking issues, but definitely traction issues. I will likely do a video on this as well. Thanks for the idea!

[@brianhoffman500]

Really interesting content! I did sign up to the VB club. Maybe you will provide more details later, but how do you attach sponges to the feeder jar lids?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Brian, I started out by hot gluing the sponges to the lids. I found that with 3D printed materials, the hot glue often cracked the lids. We are now using no glue at all and it works fine. I have the VIB club attaching it under the ring which is enough to keep the sponge in place. Thanks for signing up, I really appreciate it!

[@brianhoffman500]

@TechnicallyBeekeeping Thanks! I use one-piece lids right now, but I can get some 2-piece lids.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@brianhoffman500 Sounds good. I do a lot of canning, so that's how I got into using the two-piece lids.

[@MtnBerg]

Thanks for the update, this is community changing information you’re finding through your testing. I’ll definitely be trying this sponge idea with my feeders.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Thanks, Lance! 🙌 Please let me know how it goes. I'm going to be trying out different types of holes and configurations with the sponge and other ideas as well.

[@MtnBerg]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping I just put one together with a normal 1/2” thick sponge over a lid with a few 1/16”ish holes. The bees are already “gaining traction” on the sponge material. Thinking about trying some Swedish sponge material as its quite a bit thinner, might be easier to work with.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@MtnBerg, I like the idea of the Swedish sponge. I used cellulose sponge as it's very porous and I often use pollen substitute that I want to have transfer through the sponge. There are much more absorbent like aquazone sponge that also have anti-microbial properties that may be interested. Regarding the holes, with the sponge, a few can go a long way, so you don't have do a ton of them and good idea sticking with 1/16th". I have been trying bigger hole sizes and you can end up super saturating the sponge and getting dripping. Let me know how your feeder goes. 🤞

[@hildebrandtrius]

Based on what you said about, gripping, I have tried scratching my lids with my hive tool to improve the grip. I’m not sure that it’s making any difference, though. it’s hard to tell.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

John, I think that the traction could help, but note that with a metal lid it may also make the lid rust faster. I'd thought about sanding metal lids but decided not to due to the rusting potential. If you'd like to try out a sponge prototype, feel free to join the VIB club: technicallybeekeeping.activehosted.com/f/1

[@ricklaudermilk9400]

Frederick Dunn gave a shoutout for your channel. Very interesting research. Thanks for sharing

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Rick, Thanks for watching. I really appreciate Fred's shout-out, it was a happy surprise. I hope that you subscribe and become part of our community as well. 🤝

[@joebob7135]

It is great to see some real world repeatable science being done on these bee ideas. Usually just seeing peoples opinions with no backup

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Thanks, Joe Bob! I 100% agree. I hear opinions all the time, I love the T-shirts that say "Cool story, now show me the data!". :) I'm now getting amazing data from our Very Important Beekeeper Club which is supercharging this research. If you'd like to join, just go here: technicallybeekeeping.activehosted.com/f/1

[@NormanMcBilly-r1n]

Would love to help out, name the material you want me to try and I will experiment

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Norman, absolutely, sign up for the VIB Insider's club to get information and engage in prototyping. technicallybeekeeping.activehosted.com/f/1 Would love to have you onboard to pick your 🧠.

[@NormanMcBilly-r1n]

SO far I have put a couple of drops of glue on a mason lid with 9 holes to glue on a paper towel. then put maybe 3 bits of ripped up paper towel and another clean sheet on top, then the mason collar so the paper is in contact with the lid . So far it soaks seeming nicely and does not drip at all. Will be putting it out in the robbing hive tomorrow

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Norman, paper towel is interesting. We've been having a lot of success with swedish sponge. amzn.to/3ZFdrL7

[@NormanMcBilly-r1n]

seemed to do something at first but the wasps just ate it

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@NormanMcBilly-r1n The wasps ate the paper towel? Wasps will do that to make their paper nests. Thanks for the update.

[@tylercrowe9476]

Great info! How did you attach the sponge to your lids?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Hey Tyler. I used hot glue. It works for a quick prototype, but I have better designs coming. The hot glue comes off of silicone in time. You don't want the sponge against a drilled metal lid for long, the metal lid rusts without sponge much less being super saturated for longer periods with the sponge. I'm working on some plastics mixed with the sponge for a rust proof version. And thanks for joining the VIB community!

[@tylercrowe9476]

Thanks Michael! I tried responding to your email about the prototype lid but got a postmaster error saying my email couldn't be forwarded because the "recipient's email provider rejected it." Just so you know!

[@merpenbeck]

@@tylercrowe9476 Odd, I did receive it. I'll look into that.

[@TheBaconWizard]

Well that definitely earned a sub, great work!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@TheBaconWizard, LOL! I just subscribed to your channel as well, I need to learn the wizardry of Bacon, that's some magic that I can sink my teeth into. :)

[@matthewmyers4500]

Question: the syrup ratio is 1:1 that you are trying, correct? Have you tried the 2:1?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Matthew, great question. You are correct, that in the video I'm using 1:1 with pollen substitute and and Honey-B-Healthy supplements. In the VIB beta testings we're trying everything from 2:1 sugar water to 1:5. For a traditional jar feeder, I believe that the question of hole size depends on what you're feeding as the viscosities can vary widely. We're working on a crazy new design that may break that dependency, however. Stay tuned for more on that. Thanks for the question!

[@MikeChamplin]

First is a suggestion - Have you considered glueing the sponge onto one of those plastic replacement mason jar screw lids? Then you wouldn't have to deal with the long term rust issues. Once you've added a sponge to the lid, did you find that your hole size needed to change at all... or was it irrelevant? BTW - after getting frustrated breaking those tiny drill bits I discovered that my staple gun created just the right size holes into a metal lid for feeders.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Mike, yes we're currently beta testing v5.1-v5.4 which are 3D plastic rust proof lids. It is looking super promising. We've found that we can do it without gluing which is preferable as the plastic part once made into silicone could be put in the dishwasher and the sponge either reused or discarded. Regarding the staple gun, that's really clever! I've not heard of that before. The drill bits are typically too big, so the staple gun would make good sized holes for sure. Other than if you feed with pollen, it may get clogged in that situation, but I don't think that there's a perfect sized hole for every feeding scenario. If you've seen my "Right Size" video, a push pin also does a good job, but staple gun may be even better. Thanks for the comment! kzbin.info/www/bejne/foTSq2Wan82Wbqc

[@tomasjosefvela1]

I stopped at 5:01 to suggest that maybe they have a better grip to get to the middle of that one because its not flat across???

[@tomasjosefvela1]

YES!!!lol, thanks for sharing!!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Tomas, you are correct! 🧠 I had considered asking people to comment on what they thought it was. Thanks! 🏆 The same gripping mechanism that I'd built to make it easy for the beekeeper to turn and open/close the jar feeder was being used by the bees to hold on. Next time I am stuck, I'm just going to ask you what is going on, my friend. 🙏

[@FloatingIdeasonanarrowboat]

​@@TechnicallyBeekeepingalso, the centre knob is probably dry. I reckon it's the feed that makes their feet slip off. But you have obviously hit gold with your sponge solution.

[@Bee_Cathy]

🎉 Frederick Dunn gave a shoutout for your channel. Good work. 🎉

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Thanks Cathy! Yes, it means a lot to have the recognition of a master beekeeper the caliper of Frederick Dunn.

[@iowalayensbeekeeping]

Be sure to test the sponge with no bees eating. Im concered that the sponge could draw the syrup and allow air back into the jar. Just a thought.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

George, yes, I've been concerned about the same thing. Luckily it doesn't break the vacuum. I've redesigned the sponge mechanism in a crazy way. I hope to share it on the KZbin channel soon. Thanks for the suggestion, keep them coming.

[@-Dwight-Schrute]

​@TechnicallyBeekeeping Can't wait for the updates.

[@garychapman1068]

I would bee interested in helping you to test. I use in hive jar feeding and it has worked well for me. Last year I made my own holes in the lids. This year I purchased lids with holes in them.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Gary, that's awesome! Can you register for the VIB list? technicallybeekeeping.activehosted.com/f/1

[@sonofthunder.]

Ive used kitchen sponges before,sort of slow release,I use on nucs or swarms that need fed,way to keep charging ahead😊

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Thanks, Mark. Nice job with your kitchen sponge experiment. Yes we're trying all types of sponges. Swedish sponge has some interesting properties beyond natural sponge as well.

[@markdodson1773]

I find myself with only two concerns, first is the molding issues, and how often to change the spong material, what would be the best as in thinkness and type, and second the filtering on the additives i put in like pollen and honey be healthy i use, but good concept and something i have thought about myself, good luck to you sir!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Mark, replacing the sponge after every couple of uses is a good idea. The sponges that I used in the video are disposable cellulose sponge that come in a pack of 50 for $8. Regarding the molding, the VIB club has been testing with Swedish sponge as an alternative to cellulose sponge. Swedish sponge has antibacterial properties and is quick drying. My personal fall feed is a mix of Honey-B-Healthy, pollen substitute, Amino-B and sugar syrup. I agree, that I originally assumed that I'd have all of the pollen at the top of the sponge, and while there is some, most of it does seem to transfer through the sponge.

[@Brandywine-farm]

COOL!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Brandywine Farm, thanks! I hope to have some updates soon. Stay tuned.

[@animeniac978]

try scotchbrite pads?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

AnimeNiac, the most recent that we've been using is Swedish sponge (rather than Cellulose sponge, like I show in the video). I like the idea of Scotchbrite pads. Do you know if they trap small hive beetle like Swifer dryer sheets do? I've been thinking of replacing the sponge with a material similar to the dryer sheets to feed the bees and also catch small hive beetle.

[@animeniac978]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping I doubt they'd entangle SHBs like the more fibrous materials can; but can't claim to know for certain. I was thinking they could be easy for the bees to walk on, impervious to rot, and (maybe?) highly resistant to clogging by syrup drying?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@animeniac978 Interesting point on the impervious to rot. We'll need to try it out. Thanks for the idea, it's incredible to have so much brain power on this project. 🧠

[@animeniac978]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping I expect that if it were epoxied to (roughed up) plastic jar lids, the whole assembly would be dishwasher safe.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@animeniac978 that's my goal is to make the lids dishwasher safe. The sponges will need to be discarded in time, but that's pretty common with sponges, they are disposable items.

[@kennith.]

Popped over from Fredrick Dunn channel.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Hey Kennith, welcome, 👋 I appreciate you checking out the channel and hope that you become part of our community.

[@thehiveandthehoneybee9547]

uncle fred sent me here I subbed!!!!!!!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Lol, always do what Uncle Fred says, he'll never steer you wrong. Thanks for taking the journey with us!

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

Signed up for your prototype list and sent you a message via your site! Would love to collaborate with you!

[@merpenbeck]

That's awesome! My "contact us" page is still down. I was going to fix that today. :) I'm looking forward to collaborating with you, I know the dedication that you have to beekeeping! Super excited to get your feedback.

[@dtmsolid1234]

Hmmm. 5 years or so when the printers get good enough where you could print a sponge like membrane that's a combination of the 3D printed feeders and the sponge like material(prob a .01mm) . That be a huge money maker cheap as well as it be rust proof and prob an alcohol wash every few months.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Danny, that'll be a cool time. I'm still waiting for metal 3D printers to come down to a reasonable price, that will be a game changer. I'm looking at doing Silicone and making it dish washer safe.

[@sleepersix]

Are those bees trapped on top of your desk?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Lol, Ian. It's an observation hive. I often take a frame of bees out of a hive in my bee yard and observe them for a day or two. It helps me check for pests and diseases and to learn more about what's going on. I then return them to their original colony.

[@honeygirlsapiary]

Tried to send msg thru your website but it didn’t work. Electric smoker and sponge jar lids are very interesting! I’m in Texas. Would love to help if I can.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@honeygirlsapiary that would be awesome. It would be great to have someone that could help test prototypes in the colder months. In Chicago, we shut everything down in late October. 🥶 Thank you for volunteering. I will check the website as well. This is our VIB list, (Very Important Beekeeper). technicallybeekeeping.activehosted.com/f/1

[@honeygirlsapiary]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping our bees are normally in full on mode into December. Jan and Feb are normally our only cold months. March is wide open again. I signed up for the VIB on your site.

[@flashcardguy169]

why use trail camera's over CCTV like cam's where you have live feed plus use a DVR for your long term studies?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Flashcard guy, you are totally right. that's my next step to build a CCTV version of the trail cameras. I did it with the trail cameras because I don't have a CCTV with IR + IR cameras built yet and I thought, "ugh, I need to take a shortcut or I'll never get this experiment going". :) I really want to make it a live recorded feed. That said, between the consistently changing and charging the rechargeable batteries, downloading the SD cards, etc I feel that I was a bit too short-sighted. The cameras lenses do get propolized and waxed up every time I go though, so a static camera inside of the hive may not be viable. Maybe there's some kind of coating that I could do on the lenses to discourage propolizing. Hmm...