FREE SHIPPING & RETURNS ON ORDERS $75+
Menu
Bee Built
0
  • In Stock
  • Bee Hives
    • All Bee Hives
      • Langstroth Hives
      • Warre Hives
      • Top Bar Hives
      • Parts + Accessories
    • Learn
      • Choose Your Hive
      • Books
  • Beekeeping Supplies
    • Equipment
      • Protective Gear
      • Tools
      • Feeders
      • Honey Harvest
      • Wax & Wax Processing
  • Garden & Gift
  • Education
    • Getting Started
      • Getting Started Guide
      • Why Keep Bees?
      • Buying Your First Hive
      • Essential Equipment
      • Where to Get Bees
      • How to Catch a Swarm
      • Beekeeping for Beginners
    • Hive Designs
      • What Makes Our Hives Different?
      • Langstroth Hives
      • Top Bar Hives
      • Warre Hives
      • The Best Beehive
    • Learn More
      • Natural Beekeeping
      • Beekeeping Books
      • Backyard Beekeeping Blog
      • Forum
      • Hive Assembly Instructions
  • Sustainability
  • Login
    FREE SHIPPING & RETURNS ON ORDERS $75+
    • Login
    0

    Your Cart is Empty

    Continue Shopping

      • Congratulations! You've got free shipping. Only $150.00 away from free shipping
      • $0.00 Subtotal
      Bee Built Bee Built
      • In Stock
      • Bee Hives
      • Beekeeping Supplies
      • Garden & Gift
      • Education
      • Sustainability
      • All Bee Hives
      • Langstroth Hives
      • Warre Hives
      • Top Bar Hives
      • Parts + Accessories
      • Learn
      • Choose Your Hive
      • Books
      • Equipment
      • Protective Gear
      • Tools
      • Feeders
      • Honey Harvest
      • Wax & Wax Processing
      • Getting Started
      • Getting Started Guide
      • Why Keep Bees?
      • Buying Your First Hive
      • Essential Equipment
      • Where to Get Bees
      • How to Catch a Swarm
      • Beekeeping for Beginners
      • Hive Designs
      • What Makes Our Hives Different?
      • Langstroth Hives
      • Top Bar Hives
      • Warre Hives
      • The Best Beehive
      • Learn More
      • Natural Beekeeping
      • Beekeeping Books
      • Backyard Beekeeping Blog
      • Forum
      • Hive Assembly Instructions

      Free Shipping Within 24 Hours On $75+

      Free shipping & returns on orders over $75.

      If you can order it, it's in stock.

      Guaranteed shipment within 1 business days. Orders usually ship same day if ordered Monday-Friday before 2PM Pacific Time.

      All Beehive Starter Kits

      All Bee Hives & Starter Kits

      Langstroth Hives

      Warre Hives

      Top Bar Hives

      Parts & Accessories

      • All Beehive Starter Kits

        All Bee Hives & Starter Kits

      • Langstroth Hives

      • Warre Hives

      • Top Bar Hives

      • Parts & Accessories

      Beekeeping Starter Kit

      Tools & Equipment

      Beekeeping Clothing

      Protective Gear

      Bee Feeding

      Bee Feeders

      Honey Harvesting Tools

      Honey Harvest

      Wax Processing

      Wax & Wax Processing

      • Beekeeping Starter Kit

        Tools & Equipment

      • Beekeeping Clothing

        Protective Gear

      • Bee Feeding

        Bee Feeders

      • Honey Harvesting Tools

        Honey Harvest

      • Wax Processing

        Wax & Wax Processing

      Beekeeping Books

      Books

      Garden

      Beekeeping Gift Items

      Gifts

      • Beekeeping Books

        Books

      • Garden

      • Beekeeping Gift Items

        Gifts

      How to Feed a Top Bar Hive

      Feeding your top bar hive can be done quite easily using a number of methods. Most beekeepers feed in the spring upon installation of package bees, or in the fall if the colony is low on honey stores. Swarms usually don't need feeding as they are full of honey upon leaving their hive, and they generally choose to swarm when the weather is warm and dry enough to forage and gather nectar and pollen. 

       

      What to Feed

      If needed, most feed 1 to 1 sugar water in the spring, and 2 to 1 sugar water in the fall. We recommend pouring pure cane sugar into the container (a jar, for instance) and then very hot tap water while stirring with a spoon until the sugar dissolves. If you've got honey from hives you trust, you can also feed honey to your bees. Honey is superior to sugar water, and we recommend feeding it if you've got it. 

       

      Jar Feeders

      Our double jar feeders or entrance feeders can be used on the floor inside your hive. Many ask, "Won't the liquid pour out once you flip over the jar?" It will pour out for a split second, but due to the vacuum that occurs, the rest of the liquid will remain in the jar(s) until the bees reach up with their tongues (proboscis) and suck out the feed.

      We recommend you place your jar feeder on the floor of the hive toward the back, either on the same side of the divider as your bees, or you can cut a hole in the bottom of one of the dividers and put the feeder on the opposite side. During this time you'll want all of the bars installed on the hive so it's harder for robbers to access the feeder. 

      The double jar feeder is just wider than the floor of the hive, so it sits slightly elevated and the bees can access the underside and feed. The entrance feeder has a door the bees can enter to feed.

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Certified B Corporation
      About
      • About Us

      • Partners & Friends

      • Jobs

      • Shipping & Returns

      • Blog

      • Digital Strategy by MAGNIFY Portland

      Help
      • Contact Us

      • Forum

      • Wholesale

      • Hive Assembly Instructions

      • Bee Swarm Removal

      © 2021 Bee Built.