At 04:48 AM 10/11/96 -0500, you wrote:
<<snip>>
>   I have a few more comments on the baggie feeders, based on one use,
>then one replacement after they sucked down the first one:  (Read "novice
>user...") They are a cute way to deliver syrup to the bees, and they did
>drain the first one _very_ fast, but there are some drawbacks:
<<snip>>
>Comments?  Other experience with this type feeder?  Maybe I ain't doing
>it right.
 
        Gerry and all:
 
        I concur with your list of drawbacks, especially #3 (no refills).
        Your experience seems to be closely aligned with my own. One
        difference: I place the baggies directly on top of the frame bars,
        an empty super THEN the inner cover. The girls have much more
        direct access to the baggie and I have not had any trouble (knock
        on a hive body) with them taking up the syrup. It has been mentioned
        in the past and I have tried to use a queen excluder to support the
        baggies up off the frame tops but you may recall that I have FAT
        bees (I breed them in my own image! :-)) that seem to have trouble
        moving thru the excluder so I just went with PLOP! on top of the
        frames. Using this method, unfortunately adds another drawback for
        this neck of the woods: It requires exposing the hive to outside
        weather conditions. Now thatits colder I shudder (as do the girls)
        at the thought of doing this.
 
        I am very impressed with how quickly syrup is taken from baggie feeders
        and for this reason I will probably use them exclusively for spring
        build-up. For now its back to the gallon pails over the inner cover
hole.
        Till next time.....
 
 
 
Tim Peters, Kirby VT
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KirBee Apiary, Bear Bait Honey
I rather be flying!