6 Best Bottom Board Feeders For Small Bee Yards That Prevent Robbing
Discover 6 top bottom board feeders that prevent robbing in small apiaries. Our guide helps you choose the best design for safe, effective feeding.
Feeding bees is one of those tasks that sounds simple until you trigger a robbing frenzy. A single misstep can turn your peaceful apiary into a chaotic warzone, with your weakest hives paying the ultimate price. Choosing the right feeder isn’t just about convenience; it’s a critical management decision that directly impacts hive security and survival, especially in a small yard where hives are in close quarters.
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Why Bottom Feeders Reduce Robbing Behavior
Robbing happens when one colony discovers a weak hive and decides to steal its honey stores. External feeders, like the common boardman entrance feeder, are an open invitation. They broadcast the scent of sugar syrup far and wide, attracting not just your bees but every forager, yellow jacket, and ant in the neighborhood.
Bottom board feeders solve this problem by moving the food source entirely inside the hive. The syrup is contained beneath the cluster, accessible only to the colony living above it. This drastically reduces the odor signature outside the hive, making it much harder for would-be robbers to even know there’s a free meal available. By containing the scent and access, you eliminate the primary triggers for robbing.
The Ultimate Bottom Board Feeder from Betterbee
Betterbee’s design is a workhorse and a great example of a fully integrated system. It replaces your standard bottom board, combining the landing board, screen, and feeder into a single unit. The feeding tray is located at the rear of the hive, accessed by a separate opening that you can control. You don’t have to disturb the colony to refill it.
The main advantage here is capacity and ease of use. You can pour in a gallon or more of syrup without ever opening the hive body, which is a huge benefit during cool weather or a nectar dearth. The tradeoff is that it’s a complete bottom board replacement. You can’t just add it to an existing setup; you have to swap out your current bottom board, which is a consideration if you’re trying to retrofit a yard full of established hives.
Mann Lake’s Ultimate In-Hive Feeder System
Mann Lake takes a similar all-in-one approach but with a few key differences. Their system also replaces the entire bottom board and often comes with a built-in, adjustable entrance reducer and a screened bottom for ventilation and mite monitoring. It’s designed to be a complete foundation for your hive.
This system is fantastic for starting new colonies because you begin with a solid, integrated base. The feeding trough is typically long and narrow, running along one side of the bottom board, with a wooden float or screen to prevent bees from drowning. The real value is getting a screened bottom, feeder, and entrance reducer in one piece of equipment, simplifying your setup and reducing the number of loose parts you have to manage.
Technosetbee Feeder for Precise Syrup Control
The Technosetbee feeder is all about control and observation. Made from durable, food-grade plastic, it often features a clear cover over the feeding area. This lets you see exactly how much syrup the bees are consuming without releasing any scent or breaking the hive seal. It’s a fantastic tool for monitoring the health and buildup of a small nucleus colony.
Its design is also one of the best for preventing drowning. The bees access the syrup through small, protected channels, making it nearly impossible for them to fall in and get stuck. While it may not hold as much as some larger wooden models, its precision and safety make it an excellent choice for nurturing new colonies or providing supplemental food to hives that only need a little boost.
Freeman Beetle Trap Board Feeder Combination
If you live in an area with Small Hive Beetles (SHB), this feeder is a game-changer. The Freeman design cleverly combines a screened bottom board and a feeding tray with an integrated beetle trap. A removable tray sits below the screen, which you fill with a shallow layer of vegetable oil. Beetles, trying to escape the bees, fall through the screen and are trapped in the oil.
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The feeder itself is a separate compartment, usually at the front or back of the board, keeping the syrup completely isolated from the beetle trap. This dual-functionality is a perfect example of smart hobby farming—solving two problems with one piece of equipment. You can feed your bees and manage pests simultaneously, which saves you time, money, and hive disruptions.
Ceracell Bottom Feeder: A No-Drown Design
The primary focus of the Ceracell feeder is bee safety. Drowning is a real issue with many feeder types, especially for smaller or weaker colonies that can’t afford to lose foragers. Ceracell tackles this with a unique cap-and-ladder system that gives bees a secure platform to stand on while they drink.
These feeders are typically made of high-quality plastic, making them easy to clean and preventing the mold or rot that can plague wooden feeders. They slide into the back of a compatible bottom board, allowing for external refilling. If your top priority is protecting every single bee, especially when trying to build up a new package or a small split, this is an outstanding option.
Apimaye Bottom Feeder for Insulated Hives
For beekeepers who have invested in an insulated hive system like Apimaye, using the integrated bottom feeder is a no-brainer. These feeders are designed to fit perfectly with the rest of the hive, maintaining the thermal seal and preventing drafts. This is crucial because feeding cool syrup can chill the brood nest, forcing the bees to expend extra energy to maintain temperature.
The Apimaye feeder is part of a complete system, offering ventilation control, mite monitoring, and feeding in one unit. While you wouldn’t buy this for a standard wooden Langstroth hive, it highlights an important principle: the best equipment is often the equipment that was designed to work together. If you’re using a specialized hive, use its specialized feeder.
Tips for Using Your New Bottom Board Feeder
Getting the right feeder is only half the battle. Using it correctly is what keeps your bees safe. A few simple habits can make all the difference between a successful feeding and a robbing disaster.
- Always reduce the entrance. Even with an internal feeder, it’s wise to reduce the main hive entrance to a small opening that the guard bees can easily defend.
- Feed in the evening. Refilling your feeder at dusk gives the bees all night to clean up any minor spills and for the syrup scent to dissipate before outside foragers become active the next morning.
- Check for leaks. Before installing, fill the feeder with water and let it sit for an hour. A slow leak can create a sticky mess under your hive that will attract every pest imaginable.
- Clean it thoroughly. Don’t let old syrup ferment in the feeder. Between uses, scrub it with hot water and a little unscented dish soap, then rinse completely. This prevents the growth of mold and bacteria that can harm your bees.
Ultimately, the best bottom board feeder is the one that fits your hive equipment, your management style, and your specific goals. By moving the food inside the hive, you take a massive step toward preventing robbing and creating a more secure environment for your colonies. It’s a simple change that pays huge dividends in hive health and your own peace of mind.
