132 



FEEDING 



Great care must be used in feeding weak colonies or nuclei 

 during a dearth of nectar, as robbing is started very easily at 

 that time and the little colonies may be easily lost as a result. 



Fig. 59. — Feeding with friction top pails in empty super. 



At times robbers are so persistent in sneaking about every crack 

 that it is unsafe to open the hives excepting just at nightfall. 

 Consequently the feeders should be filled at that time. 



FEEDERS 



Miller Feeder. — For feeding large quantities of honey for 

 reserve supply there is a feeder on the market, known as the 

 Miller feeder, which will hold as much 

 at a single feeding as is likely to be 

 fed to one colony. This feeder is 

 placed in the super on top of the hive 

 and after the syrup is poured in, the 

 cover is replaced. Fig. 60 shows the 

 construction of the Miller feeder. 

 There are two compartments on either 

 side, each holding ten pounds or more 

 of s)rrup. In the center is a passage- 

 way for the bees to reach the syrup going directly above the 

 cluster. In this way the air rising above the brood nest makes 



Fig. 60.— The Miller feeder is 



Bet m a super on top of the hive. 

 This is one of the best feeders. 



