Bee Hive Bucket Feeder Accessories

thingiverse

These accessories are specifically designed for a Beehive Top Bucket Feeder. The feeder itself can be constructed from a 1-gal., 2-gal. or 5-gal. HDPE bucket, available online or in big box stores, with pre-drilled holes at the top to allow sugar water to flow out when it's turned upside down on the inner cover or feeder top. To create a more secure setup for smaller buckets, I place the feeder inside a Deep hive body and add a hive cover on top. The printed parts include a spout insert, a regular cap, an assembly cap for gluing, and a drill guide for the bucket top. The spout and cap enable easy refilling by simply removing the cap instead of taking off the entire lid from the bucket, saving time and effort in the process. The drill guide serves two purposes: it helps locate the center point for drilling a 1 3/4" hole for the spout, as well as marking the edges of the spout hole flange. In my setup, I position the spout hole near the edge of the bucket lid without the flange extending beyond the ridges and valleys of the lid's surface. The drill guide also enables drilling a consistent five-hole pattern on the opposite side of the lid from the spout. These holes are designed to draw sugar water out until a vacuum is created inside the bucket, allowing bees to access the liquid as needed. When filling the bucket and inverting it onto the hive, some sugar water will flow out of these holes before a vacuum forms inside the bucket. After that point, the bees can freely draw sugar water from the holes until the bucket is empty. I place the five holes on the side of the lid opposite to the spout, but they can be located anywhere. The spout fits snugly through a 1 3/4-inch hole and can be glued in place at the bottom inside of the lid using HDPE-friendly adhesives that either bond them permanently or securely hold them in position. The assembly cap is not strictly necessary but serves as a helpful tool to keep the spout flange close to the bottom of the lid while the glue cures. It features a setback design to prevent accidental gluing to the bucket or spout if excess adhesive seeps out during the process.