Floating dowel bee feeder
View Patent ↗A bee feeder designed to prevent bee drowning and minimize inter-hive fighting. The feeder comprises a long rectangular container, optimally 2 to 6 feet in length, with taller walls (4 to 10 inches) to contain a significant volume of bee syrup. Floating wooden dowels, approximately ¼ inch in diameter and slightly shorter than the width of the container, are placed side by side atop the syrup, creating a safe bee feeding surface. The dowels are light enough to float as bees land on them, enabling access to the syrup. High-sugar concentration syrup used in the feeder creates an osmotic preservation effect, protecting the dowels from decay. This invention provides an efficient and safe method for feeding large numbers of bees, with advantages over smaller or bucket-style feeders, particularly in terms of surface area and ease of use. It allows bees to feed without crowding and requires fewer refills.
1 . A bee feeder, comprising:
a rectangular or square container with vertical interior sides;
a plurality of cylindrical wooden dowels, each dowel with a longitudinal curved surface ( 4 );
each of the cylindrical wooden dowels of the plurality of wooden dowels are arranged parallelly side by side, with their longitudinal curved surfaces directly adjacent one another and the dowels when floating on bee syrup ( 5 ) in the container are capable of coaxial rotation induced by bee movement on the dowels.
2 . The bee feeder, of claim 1 wherein the rectangular container ( 1 ) includes relatively longer walls ( 2 ) and relatively shorter walls ( 3 ) that form the structure of the rectangular container; and,
each of the wooden dowels of plurality of dowels ( 4 ), are a honey bee body length shorter than a width of the container, when arranged side by side and floating on the bee syrup ( 5 ) within the container.
3 . The bee feeder, of claim 2 wherein the rectangular container ( 1 ) includes a length of 2 to 6 feet, the width of the container is 4 to 6 inches, and a height of the container is 4 to 8 inches and wherein each wooden dowel of the plurality of wooden dowels ( 4 ), is approximately ¼ inch to 1 inch in diameter and slightly shorter than the width of the container, and the wooden dowels are arranged side by side and floating on the bee syrup ( 5 ) within the container.
4 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein each of the wooden dowels of the plurality of dowels ( 4 ) are configured to float on the bee syrup and allow slight movement when bees land on them, providing a stable landing surface ( 7 ) such that the bees are prevented from slipping beneath the dowels when landing thereon to ensure bee safety and accessibility to the bee syrup ( 5 ).
5 . The bee feeder of claim 2 , wherein the relatively longer walls of the container ( 1 ) m-ay include various lengths, up to and exceeding 6 feet, while maintaining the functional advantages of preventing bee drowning and reducing inter-hive fighting.
6 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein the bee syrup ( 5 ) has a sugar concentration sufficient to create an osmotic preservation effect ( 6 ) such that the wooden dowels ( 4 ) are protected from decay.
7 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein the dowels ( 4 ) are made from a material that is resistant to warping and degradation when in constant contact with sugar syrup.
8 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ) includes a removable or adjustable divider ( 11 ) within the container, allowing the feeder to be adapted for different colony sizes or to segregate different types of bees.
9 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is equipped with a sloped bottom surface designed to direct any remaining syrup toward one end of the feeder for easier cleaning and refilling.
10 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein the dowels ( 4 ) have varying diameters mixed and distributed evenly across the surface to provide a more stable floating platform and to accommodate bees of different sizes.
11 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is constructed with a transparent or semi-transparent material allowing beekeepers to easily monitor the syrup level and the feeding activity without disturbing the bees.
12 . The bee feeder of claim 1 , designed with modular connectors on the sides, enabling multiple bee feeders to be linked together to create a larger continuous feeding surface.
13 . The enclosed bee feeder of claim 1 adapted for attachment to a beehive box comprising:
the rectangular or square container configured with a snap-on lid designed to securely cover a top of the container to protect the bee syrup from contaminants and prevent spillage, wherein the snap-on lid is removable for access to an interior of the container for cleaning or inspection;
a sliding refill door integrated into the snap-on lid, enabling beekeepers to refill the feeder by sliding the door open to add the bee syrup and then close it, thereby maintaining the integrity of the enclosure without the need to remove the entire snap-on lid;
a spacer attached to the base of the container, structured to maintain a predefined distance between the feeder and the beehive box, which enables the feeder to be positioned such that it aligns with the beehive box opening and allows sufficient space for bees to enter the feeder without obstruction, while also serving as a barrier to other insects;
an opening between the feeder and the beehive box sized and shaped to facilitate easy-and-safe-passage for bees, thereby allowing them access to the feed while minimizing exposure to external elements and pests;
a landing surface within the feeder, formed by the plurality of cylindrical floating wooden dowels arranged to create a stable and accessible platform that supports bee landing and feeding activities, and wherein the dowels are disposed transversely in the container and sized such that they can rotate along a longitudinal axis atop the bee syrup, yet with a small clearance gap with a width between the dowels and sides of the container, the gap width sized to prevent bees from trapping themselves between the vertical container sides and ends of the dowels,
alignment tabs located on an exterior of the container, adapted to interface with corresponding features on the bee hive box, ensuring that the feeder is correctly positioned and secured against the bee hive box, preventing misalignment that could hinder bee access and feeder functionality.
14 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the sliding refill door is equipped with a mechanical locking mechanism that secures the refill door in both opened and closed positions, facilitating the addition of bee syrup without necessitating the removal of the entire lid.
15 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the sliding refill door includes a slide-lock mechanism that engages with a catch on the lid to prevent unintended opening.
16 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the spacer comprises adjustable mechanical sliders that extend or retract to set the distance between the feeder and the beehive from two to six inches, accommodating various bee hive box designs.
17 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the opening between the feeder and hive includes a mesh gate that permits bees to pass while blocking larger insects, the mesh gate constructed from a durable polymer material.
18 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the alignment tabs feature graduated markings to visually indicate alignment with the bee hive box entrance, with each tab locking into corresponding slots on the bee hive box to secure the feeder's position.
19 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the surface area within the enclosed bee hive feeder is coated with a polyurethane non-slip finish to enhance traction for bees during feeding.
20 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein each dowel of the plurality of dowels is surface-treated with a textured pattern of concentric rings.
21 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the feeder incorporates an electronically controlled heating element that maintains the bee syrup at a constant temperature of 35° C. (95° F.), regulated by an integrated thermostat.
22 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the container is fitted with electronic level sensors that monitor syrup volume and a Wi-Fi module to transmit data to a beekeeper's device.
23 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein the feeder includes interlocking tabs and slots allowing for complete disassembly for cleaning, each component made from stainless steel to prevent corrosion.
24 . The bee feeder of claim 13 , wherein components thereof are manufactured from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for environmental sustainability.