Unlocking Efficiency: What is the Right Hole Size for Bee Feeder Jar? 📏🐝

What's the ideal size for the hole in your DIY Honey Bee jar feeder? Join me as we delve into this using various drill bit sizes, putting them to the ultimate test. I think that you'll be surprised by my discoveries, I know I was!
Also, a reminder about Beek Meet 2024: www.ntc.edu/calendar/2024/03/...
🕸 Site: technicallybeekeeping.com
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[@ohio1970]

I always use a .062 dia drill for holes.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@ohio1870, so that's a 1/16th drill bit? That's a smart choice from what I'm seeing. I've done more research and will post another video on this. Thanks for the information, it's very helpful.

[@shabbydeb]

Very interesting video!! I don't know much about bees and beekeeping but enjoyed learning. Thank you for sharing!!

[@DialedN_07]

It's actually a really good idea to put coloring in your feed for the bees. It allows you to see WHERE they are storing the feed. If any of the red liquid ends up in your supers (even if you stopped feeding previously) then you know you don't have pure honey.

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

I have thought about doing this... because I know they can move honey around from one box to another depending on what the brood needs are...

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

This would actually be a good experiment... feed them nothing but colored syrup during a dearth... let the hive body get filled with red funny honey..... stop feeding and then put on honey supers once a flow starts and see if any of the red ends up above the brood box.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@DialedN_07 Interesting idea. I will look into it.

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

The amount of airspace helps to determine how good of a vacuum you get. the more full the jar, the less leakage you will get. Good video and experiment!

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping I noticed the relationship between airspace and vacuum after the first experiment. Maybe it should have been, but this relationship was not obvious to me before experimenting. I ended up running the whole experiment a second time to ensure that airspace was kept at a constant rate out of concerns that it would affect the experiment. Thanks for the comment. How did you discover the relationship between the airspace and vacuum have you done similar experiments or just from experience? Great insight.

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping I believe it was either Bob Binnie or Kamon Reynolds. Another few variables you have to take into consideration is external temperature, and the material the container is made of. Heating or cooling the liquid will make the drip rate change, and if you have a bucket feeder, the plastic can expand/contract with temp changes creating more/less of a vacuum.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping I had thought about doing another video of microwaving the feed to get it to the temp to what it would be in an inner cover on a hot summer day. I had not thought about material, that's interesting about the expansion and contraction but makes sense.

[@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping I would also be interested in finding out how long syrup can sit outside in a glass jar exposed to sun prior to mold growth vs, a glass jar covered by a super and lid... Just in case you are looking for video ideas lol :)

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@BackBeeBrokenBeekeeping That's a good one. Stay tuned, I'll look into it.

[@kareneaton3395]

nice video content. Very helpfull and usefull for all us beeks

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@kareneaton3395, thanks! I plan to do a similar one digging in deeper in a couple of weeks.

[@donaltland7957]

The bigger holes that at first did not leak, would they spring a leak when the bees started to feed from the jar? Any difference which direction that you drive the holes through the lid?

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@donaltland7957: Yes, above 5.2 mm has not only a time-bomb affect that I observed, but if it was disturbed (like with a bee feeding) it could dump its full load. I'd hate to be the unassuming bee looking for some feed. Regarding the difference in direction, that's a great question, I'd not thought of that. I'd do some experimenting on the channel. One of the things with drilling and punching holes is that it leaves jagged edges. I wonder if anyone's ever studied if it's bad for bee's tongues? Keep the comments coming and I'll keep experimenting. 🐝 🧪

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Also on your test you have to remember you are using water . Remember syrup is a lot thicker . Also the bees will pull out what they want . So like I suggested keep holes small .

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@kathyhathaway8823: You're absolutely right about the importance of keeping the holes small. Thanks a bunch for sharing your thoughts! Regarding water vs syrup, I used both in the experiment. I used 1:1 syrup (you won't believe how sticky my office is :) ).

[@phillopadopaplopalus]

This is a great video. Would have been good to include jar size and feed volume to see if that had any affect

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Great idea! I will try it in the future to see how the volume changes things. I suspect the heat (for example in a hot summer hive) and mix of syrup also affects things.

[@drdaveyjones6216]

​@TechnicallyBeekeeping heat shouldn't affect things, because evaporation would be carried off upwards, which can't happen because of the jar being inverted

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@drdaveyjones6216 interesting point. Inside of the jar itself is a closed system. I am not sure how vapor vs liquid would affect the flow rate. 🤔 You think that it would not have an effect?

[@Junebug-js4ol]

Great video. I was just wondering about hole size. I do like to put bee pollen substitute in the syrup containing HBH and ABB supplements, so when I made the thumbtack or small nail sized holes, it seemed the pollen sub stayed in the jar. Now I know I can go to a larger size before running into dripping issues. Thanks.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@Junebug-js40l, that's a good point about the pollen substitue. It can gum up the works for certain. I've found that with many feeders that were coated with it after feeding was complete. Great comment, keep them coming. 🙏 I plan to talk more about feeders in the next few weeks, let me know if you'd like more content about any aspect of feeding. 🐝

[@Junebug-js4ol]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping My latest pondering is how to rig my two-partition top feeder so that the syrup flows more towards the center screen. The plastic bin is so flat, if the syrup dries out the entire bottom is coated with the dried sugar (and pollen substitute).

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@Junebug-js4ol tell me more! Do you have an link to the top feed that you use?

[@Junebug-js4ol]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping Mann Lake sells them. Search top feeders. If you don't hit Enter, it should show up at top. Believe you can get elsewhere. You may recognize it also.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

Ah, this is the one you mean? I have not used this one before. www.mannlakeltd.com/top-feeder-with-unpainted-super/ I use the Dadant feeders in my bee yard. I'm not recommending them, as I've had to do some modifications due to bees drowning. www.dadant.com/catalog/hive-top-feeder-10-frame-m01436

[@O_96]

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[@kathyhathaway8823]

There is no correct size of hole . The amount of syrup is determined by the amount of syrup you want to come out because of how you want to feed . You always use a very small hole but you may just use three holes or you may go with ten or twelve holes . If you just want to stimulate the bees use less amount of holes then if you want to put weight in the hive for say winter you put a lot of holes . Believe it or not but even in steel lids the holes will get bigger the more they are used . Also that gets into something else to what thickness of syrup you are wanting to feed . There are three different mixtures I use these are water & sugar the first is a say 1-1/4 to 1 this one is thinner than a 1 to 1 because this one is a lot closer to nectar. Then the middle one is a 1 to 1 then the last one is a 1 to 2 this one is the thickest mixture. This is used to put a lot of weight on fast to fill the box so the bees will have a lot of food for the winter . Do see there is really no correct size or amount of holes it is just something you learn with years under your belt an learn what each thing does . I do not remember off the top of my head what size holes it is but a tooth pick will just barely fit in the hole to clean the holes out but guessing I would say a 1/16” or or a 1/8” just stay small . On the leakage even with small they will not leak a lot but when the temperature changes it will burp an you will get some leakage . Always fill your jar up full . If you start getting a lot of leakage then your jar is probably getting low an will not hold a vacuum an or you are having a lot of temperature changes from night time to middle of the day. This is hard to put on paper what to do but I hope this helps out .

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@kathyhathaway8823: That's an interesting observation about the hole sizes getting bigger over time for even a steel lid. Why do you think that is? Thanks for sharing all the great information!

[@kathyhathaway8823]

@@TechnicallyBeekeeping I have no idea why I just guess it is the billions an billions of licks 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@@kathyhathaway8823 Ha, it's the lick-factor. 🤣 I love it.

[@intheshell35ify]

Then you come out in a week and they haven't been able to pull it out of the holes so they haven't drawn any comb or grown in any way. I've had too many failures playing around with this. Frame feeder or top feeder. Can't miss. However... thank you for the effort.

[@TechnicallyBeekeeping]

@intheshell35ify I hope that you have the best beekeeping season this year. All the best.