Here is a little experiment I decided to try on a warm mid-winter day when the bees were out looking for resources including pollen. Using a large, empty and cleaned spice container, some tape, and some Ultra Bee pollen substitute, you can make a small pollen feeder in no time at all!
First, I started by cleaning a large spice container. This one had oregano in it (maybe the Italian bee will like it? LOL). Either way, some gentle soap and water to get as much of the spice smell out as possible. Doesn’t have to be perfect, but some spice smells may drive bees away, so choose wisely.
I’ll be partially filling this container with Mann Lake Ultra Bee. I’m only filling it about 1/3rd full as I want it to lay on its side to allow the bees to fly in the openings in the lid and have plenty of space to gather pollen.
First, I wanted to try the shaker-side of the lid. The holes were big enough for a honeybee to get through. Laying on the side, there is plenty of surface space for multiple bees to gather pollen.
Using the remains of an old bird feeder and a bit of tape to hold the jar in place, I set up the pollen feeder in a location where I can keep an eye on it.
Less than 2 hours after setting up the pollen feeder, there were four bees inside gathering pollen! However, because the sides of the jar are clear, the bees were confused and were trying to fly out the side of the jar instead of through the lid.
For a quick fix to encourage the bees to find the proper exit, I covered the visible sides with black duct tape to act as a light-blocking media. In future builds, I would suggest going the route of painting the sides instead of tape, which will eventually wear off. I also switched the lid to use the larger opening instead of the shaker holes.
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