>        Several years ago there was a product advertised as "The hive
>Fountain". I remember seeing a barrel of syrup with plastic tubing
>connected to each hive. Does anyone out there have any experience with
>this system, or what the pricipal of operation was? I'm wondering what
>kept the syrup from just running into the hive.
>
>  bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
>  b                                                              b
>  b    Vince & Carole Coppola                [log in to unmask]   b
>  b    Coppola Apiaries,                     (716)965-2904       b
>  b    10220 Bradigan Rd.                                        b
>  b    Forestville, N.Y. 14062                                   b
>  b                                                              b
>  b    Western New York Beekeepers Association                   b
>  b                                                              b
>  bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
>
>
 
I used a similar set-up last year.  The drum must remain sealed at the top
and the vacuum at the top keeps the syrup from running out the various
tubes.  This is similar to a large Hampster water jar you can see at pet
stores.  As the volume of syrup decreases, the bees will start working up
the tube to get the syrup.    If the level of the syrup goes below the top
tube, the syrup will run out the other tubes since the vacuum is broken.
 
I ran the tubing through a ventalation hole in the hive body.  The hole
gives ventalation in the summer and a method of getting the syrup into the
middle of the hive in the winter.  I don't know if this is best, but it
seemed to work for me.
 
It worked quite well for me.  I used a 5 gallon plastic jug and I see no
reason a larger barrel wouldn't work. I used  tubes  (0.25 to 0.5 inch id
clear nalgene) running to 5 hives  I attached valves to each tube to allow a
method of turning off the syrup.   The tubing needs to be a straight shot to
the hives with no low spots to catch the syrup.
 
Temperature was my biggest problem.  The syrup would become thick enough
that the viscosity would not allow the syrup to run out the tubing to the
bee hives.  That is when I would have to use the larger tubing.  When it
warmed up I would go back to the smaller tubing.
 
Here in Oklahoma, the winter is not too long and I could use the smaller
feeder and I don't have a large number of hives (15) to worry with feeding.
The feeder allowed me to monitor the food used by the hives without having
to open the hive or mess with smaller entrance feeders.
 
 
 
Good Luck
Richard Barnes
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