Beekeeping involves a lot of gear, each with its unique role in keeping your bees happy and healthy. Feeders are confusing for beekeepers; feeding bees in general. One type of feeder that often gets overlooked but is super helpful is the internal frame feeder, a type of bee feeder also known as a division board feeder or simply a frame feeder.
We have used frame feeders for many years in our hives, and we are fans of them. But they do have their downside, and they aren't for everyone.
Learn more about Feeding Bee with Frame Feeders.
Internal frame feeders are essential for efficient beekeeping, offering large syrup capacity, reducing robbing risks, and maintaining hive temperature, all while simplifying your feeding routine.
This post explores the benefits of internal frame feeders, detailing how they reduce hive disruption, prevent robbing, and keep your bees well-fed and healthy.
Learn about internal frame feeders and how they streamline beekeeping by fitting inside the hive, offering easy access to food, and minimizing disturbance to your bees.
What is an Internal Frame Feeder?
The internal frame feeder is a practical solution for beekeepers. It fits right inside your hive, taking up the space of a frame.
This allows you to feed your bees sugar syrup or other liquids directly inside the hive, making it easier for them to access food without leaving the hive.
Many modern frame feeders also incorporate a cap and ladder system to prevent drowning and comb build-up, making them even more practical for beekeepers.
Types and Capacities
These feeders come in two main types: single-frame and two-frame. They can fit into deep or medium boxes, but medium feeders always take up two frames. Typically, these feeders can hold one or two gallons of syrup, which is great if you can’t check on your hives frequently.
You want to find the right feeder for your setup, meaning a deep feeder for your deep box and a medium feeder for the medium box if you use it as part of the brood nest. Frame feeders are not prone to leaking or spilling once filled, which helps avoid issues with feed contacting treatments.
Why Use a Frame Feeder?
1. High Volume Capacity: Frame feeders can hold a lot of syrup. This is especially useful for commercial beekeepers who need to feed many hives quickly and efficiently. They can slide the cover, pump in the syrup with a gas pump-like nozzle, and be done. Hobby beekeepers can also benefit from this because it means less frequent refills. The point is they hold a lot of syrup. The wide surface area of syrup in a frame feeder allows for rapid consumption by the bees.
2. Convenience: You can access these feeders without fully opening the hive, which makes feeding quicker and less disruptive for the bees. Even though you do need to open the hive a bit, it’s still less invasive than other methods.
3. Reduced Robbing Risk: Since the syrup is inside the hive, it is less likely to attract other bees or pests than entrance feeders.
4. Temperature Regulation: Keeping the syrup inside the hive helps maintain a consistent temperature, which is especially important in cooler weather and beneficial for brood rearing. The syrup in frame feeders is kept warm by the bees' cluster, allowing bees to feed even during late fall or early spring.
5. Prevents Drowning: Modern frame feeders are designed to prevent drowning, which is a common issue with older designs.
6. No Extra Equipment: Likely, the reason these are very popular is in terms of bee feeders; they don’t require additional equipment. Meaning you don’t need another box or tool or equipment to use them. You simply just remove 1 or 2 frames and insert the feeder.
7. Brood Rearing Support: By providing supplemental nutrition, frame feeders encourage the queen to lay more eggs during early spring or dearths, supporting colony growth and productivity.
Using an Internal Frame Feeder
Using these feeders is pretty straightforward:
1. Placement: Put the feeder in place of regular frames, ideally in the top box if you have a two-box setup.
For example, you’d put the feeder in the top box with eight frames in a Langstroth hive with two deep boxes.
Ensure the cap is securely in place to prevent bees from accessing the main volume of the feeder. Regardless if you use 10-frame or 8-frame equipment, the frame feeder will take away space for the bees to store honey.
But even with 6 deep frames left for them to store honey, that is enough for most winters.
2. Filling : Use a sugar syrup mix suitable for the season—a 1:1 ratio in spring and a thicker 2:1 ratio in the fall.
For spring feeding, use a 1:1 syrup ratio using hot water and sugar. Both will work when using these bee feeders.
With the cap and ladder system, this reduces the drowning of the bees in the feeder, but it can still happen. You can fill directly through the holes when filling with this ladder system. No need to pull out the ladder.
3. Maintenance : Check and clean the feeder regularly to prevent mold and fermentation. Refill as needed, especially during key feeding times.
Since they are darker and often have many bees around them, it can be hard to see how much food is still in the feeder. Using a stick or piece of pine straw is helpful to see the syrup level. Avoid adding new food to old food if you can help it.
This can lead to the sugar syrup fermenting. You will want to clean the whole feeder out at least once a year.
If the feeder is left empty, bees may build burr comb inside, which requires cleaning before the next use.
Common Concerns
One downside is the risk of drowning. There are two designs to consider:
Open Trough Design : This type can cause bees to drown if they can’t climb out of the syrup. Bees may also starve if they get stuck. This type can also lead to the formation of burr comb, which can be problematic. Using this type, you can fill it with sticks, pine straw, corks, or similar objects that will float. Anything to give the bees help climbing out is what you need.
Ladder or Float Design : This type includes ladders or floats that help bees avoid drowning by giving them a safe platform to access the syrup. This design is safer for honey bees as it reduces the risk of drowning. There are a few different designs, but they all work about the same.
Another issue is the lack of control over how much syrup the bees consume. With these feeders, bees have direct access to a lot of syrup, which isn’t ideal if you want to feed them slowly. Supplemental feeding with frame feeders is especially important when environmental conditions limit natural foraging opportunities for bees. Additionally, brood rearing can be confined to a specific area of the hive, which may influence the choice and placement of feeders.
Best Practices and Maintenance
Keeping your bee feeders in top shape is key to supporting a healthy hive and making your beekeeping experience as smooth as possible. Regular maintenance and smart feeding practices help prevent common issues like burr comb buildup, mold, and drowning, while ensuring your honey bees have easy access to the food they need for brood rearing and colony growth.
Start by making a habit of inspecting your frame feeder every time you open the hive. Check the cap and ladder system to ensure it’s securely in place and free from debris. The ladder system is designed to give bees safe, easy access to sugar syrup, which helps prevent drowning—a common problem in feeders without this feature. If you notice any buildup of burr comb or mold inside the feeder, clean it thoroughly with hot water before refilling. Using feeders made from durable plastic or polypropylene makes cleaning easier and extends the life of your equipment.
When it comes to feeding, timing and syrup mix are important. For spring feeding, a 1:1 sugar water mixture supports brood rearing and helps the colony build up quickly. In the fall, switch to a thicker 2:1 syrup to help bees store enough honey for winter. Always dissolve sugar completely in hot water, and consider adding a small amount of supplements like Honey Bee Healthy or apple cider vinegar to reduce mold growth in the feeder.
To minimize robbing and disease transmission, place your feeder directly inside the hive, ideally on top of the brood frames or in the space of a frame. Make sure the feeder is clean and dry before adding fresh syrup, and avoid topping off old syrup to prevent fermentation. During cold weather, keep an eye on the feeder—if the syrup becomes moldy or the bees can’t access it due to low temperatures, remove and clean the feeder promptly.
When shopping for bee feeders, look for features that make your job easier, such as wide lids, sturdy caps, and easy-to-clean ladders. Compare the volume and price of different feeders to find one that fits your hive setup and feeding schedule. Some feeders offer extra features like built-in ladders or wide openings for easy filling, which can save you time and effort.
Regularly inspect your hives and feeders for signs of robbing, pests, or disease. Address any issues quickly to keep your colony healthy. Each feeder may have its own quirks—some require more frequent cleaning or have specific instructions for use—so take the time to get familiar with your equipment.
Finally, don’t forget that even a small amount of sugar syrup or pollen supplement can make a big difference during times of stress or scarcity. By following these best practices and keeping your bee feeders clean and well-maintained, you’ll provide your honey bees with the support they need to thrive, no matter the season. With the right equipment and a little attention to detail, you’ll enjoy a productive, healthy hive and a rewarding beekeeping journey.
Why Leave the Feeder in the Hive Year-Round?
You might wonder why you leave the feeder in the hive all year. Let’s say you use a two-frame internal feeder in a deep box.
In a 10-frame hive , you’ll have eight remaining frames for honey storage. Even with two deep boxes, you’ll have space for 18 frames, as the feeder takes up two spots in the top box.
Typically, the bottom 10 frames are for brood and a bit of honey, while the top eight frames next to the feeder are more than enough for the bees to store enough honey for winter survival.
This setup works well in most parts of the world, ensuring the bees have sufficient food without needing to replace the feeder with honey frames.
Conclusion
Internal frame feeders are a practical addition to any beekeeping setup. They make feeding your bees easier and less frequent, especially if you have remote hives. Keeping the syrup inside the hive helps maintain the syrup temperature and reduces the risk of robbing.
If you haven't tried using frame feeders yet, give them a shot. They might make your beekeeping routine a little simpler and your bees a bit happier. Happy beekeeping!
Adam Hickman owns Foxhound Bee Company and is a certified EAS Master Beekeeper. Before ever selling a box through Foxhound Bee Company, Adam wrote beekeeping blogs for education. Adam regularly teaches beekeeping classes through Foxhound Bee Co and also through his local beekeeping club