Bucket Feeder With Feeding Plugs
Bucket Feeder With Feeding Plugs
Feeding syrup by bucket lets you provide a large volume without opening the hive constantly — useful if you can't get to the apiary every day. These bucket feeders come in a 1-gallon or 2-gallon size, with a lid that presses on and stays on, plus a pull-tab tint plug over a pre-drilled hole for adding syrup.
Key Features
- Lid presses onto the bucket and stays in place — no need to remove it for normal use
- 2" tint plug pulls out easily to pour in syrup, then presses back in when you're done
- Full lid removes for easy cleaning and off-season storage
- Syrup level is easy to monitor at a glance, so you know which hives need a refill
- Tint plugs are sold separately for beekeepers who want to customize hole size or count
How It Works
Fill the bucket completely with syrup, then flip it upside down over the hole in your inner cover. It needs to be surrounded by an empty hive body and topped with an outer cover — or you can drill a 2" (50mm) hole in a migratory or telescoping cover and let bees feed through that instead.
These buckets work by vacuum, not constant dripping. Once flipped, some syrup drips out at first until vacuum pressure builds, then it stops. Filling the bucket completely before flipping minimizes that initial drip — the 1-gallon size drips less than the 2-gallon. Test with water first if you want to see how it behaves before using syrup.
Customizing the Tint Plug
The included tint plug doesn't come pre-drilled, since beekeepers use different hole counts depending on the season — more holes for faster spring feeding, fewer for slower fall feeding. Poke or drill 2 to 6 small holes based on your needs. Extra tint plugs are available separately if you want a few configured for different situations.
Product Details
| Sizes | 1 Gallon, 2 Gallon |
| Fill Hole | 2" tint plug (pre-drilled hole, plug sold with pull tab) |
| Lid | Press-fit, fully removable for cleaning |