I have a few comments on feeders. There is a feeder like the Man Lake bucket available here that is
used by many. You buy it filled with ready made bee feed and just remove a tape over the holes in the
lid and turn it upside down on the hive inside an empty super.

Many are using what I believe is what you call Miller type feeder. That's my preference since many
years. The feeder is made from high density styrofoam, same as the rest of my hives. It holds up to
30 liters, that's more than I ever is going to need. When taking the last honey off the hives they
get the feeder and syrup. The feeder is then left on the hive until I come back in spring with the
first super. No need to go to the hives an extra time to bring all feeders home, this way I also save
some space in the storage shed when the feeders goes in as the supers goes out. And the feeders will
serve as an extra insulation during winter. If there would be a cold spring and some hives need extra
feed during build up I have the feeders there already.

In 97 a beekeeper here made a small test. He compared the bucket type feeder with Miller type feeder.
20 hives that had behaved equally during summer, had the same queen mother and were same strength
were used in the test. 10 of them got the bucket feeders, and the other 10 got home made Miller type
feeders (plywood). The bees needed 3 to 4 days to empty the Miller type feeders, and about a month
for the buckets. (the buckets used here might have fewer holes-smaller feed area than Mann Lake type)
When opening all hives after feeding and count the amount of bees in them he found an interesting
result. In the hives that had taken the feed down fast there was 5-10% less bees after feeding. In
the hives with buckets that needed a month there was 40-60% reduction in the bee numbers!

The conclusion from this is that it's necessary to cut feeding time down by having a large area where
the bees get access to the feed.

You can see some pictures of the finnish made hive parts on this link, including feeder:

http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/temp/jussi.htm

A take the opportunity to wish you all a Sticky New Year......

--
Regards

P-O Gustafsson, Sweden
[log in to unmask]  http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/