A feeder should give bees reliable access to the food they need without leaking, drowning them or attracting robbers. Choose the feed first from stores, weather and colony condition, then select a feeder that fits your hive. Feeding by habit can fill valuable brood space unnecessarily.
Choose syrup or fondant from the colony’s need
Check current stores and the reason for feeding: establishment, a forage gap, an emergency shortage or building winter reserves. Use plain refined white sugar for appropriate syrup, or a suitable bee fondant when cold conditions make liquid feeding impractical. Keep feed out of honey intended for sale or harvest. Ratio names can use different conventions, so use the linked calculator’s stated sugar mass and water volume rather than assuming every ‘1:1’ recipe is identical. Do not add routine medicines or essential oils.
Contact feeders: a secure seal and leak check
A contact feeder is a sealed container that delivers syrup through small holes or mesh. Inspect the lid and seal, fill and invert it away from the hive, and check that the initial flow settles rather than continuing as a leak. Position it securely over the intended feed access and enclose it under suitable weatherproof equipment. Check that bees can reach the outlet. A leaking feeder can soak a colony and attract robbers, so do not leave an untested container over the brood.
Rapid and top feeders: safe access from above
Rapid feeders and larger Ashforth or Miller-style top feeders allow refilling from above. Fit the correct bee-access covers, floats or barriers before adding syrup and make sure the unit sits securely. Do not expose bees to an open reservoir by omitting a component. An insulated top feeder may serve a different winter role from an empty uninsulated plastic tub. Follow the actual model’s instructions and verify that roof clearance, bee access and any insulation remain suitable.
Jurassic Bees video: Episode 4: How to transfer a nucleus colony to a full hive. Use the written conditions and limitations alongside the filmed example.
Frame feeders: bee access and drowning protection
A frame feeder occupies space inside the brood box, so account for the displaced comb and the colony’s size. Use the manufacturer’s ladder, float or other drowning-protection system and check that it is correctly positioned. Refill without flooding bees or spilling feed over frames. Because access usually requires opening the box, it may be less convenient for frequent or cold-weather feeding than an appropriate top arrangement. A float is not a substitute for inspecting whether bees are using the feeder safely.
Fondant placement and cold-weather access
When a cold colony is short of food, place suitable fondant where bees can reach it above the occupied cluster, using an appropriate eke or feeder arrangement. The route through any packaging must be open to bees, with the feed supported rather than able to fall between frames. Keep insulation and roof closure effective. Do not assume a block placed far from the bees will be found. Recheck access and consumption; fondant is not proof that the colony’s underlying weakness has been resolved.
Refilling, hygiene and robbing checks
Keep feeding within each hive; avoid open communal feeding. Refill late in the day where practical, remove exposed comb and wipe spills promptly. Confirm uptake soon after fitting a new feeder and investigate untouched food instead of repeatedly topping it up. Record feed type, amount, date, uptake and heft trend. Clean and disinfect used equipment appropriately before transferring it to another colony; assign feeders to colonies where practical. Stop or adjust feeding when stores are sufficient, conditions change or harvesting supers are required.
Related Jurassic Bees guides
Sources and further guidance
This guide brings together Jurassic Bees’ teaching and knowledge-bank material with the following external guidance. External recommendations are not presented as our own apiary observations.
Reviewed 30 October 2026. For hive-specific help, use our contact form or your local association mentor. Product and medicine instructions take precedence for the equipment and treatment concerned.