Breathe New Life Into An Old Mason Jar With This Simple DIY Bee Feeder
Now more than ever, sustainability-minded gardeners and homeowners are seeking ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. One of the most reusable and versatile kitchen items that might have once ended up in the dumpster? Glass jars. Whether you've got empty applesauce containers or classic mason jars that are past their prime, you can give old glass jars a whole new purpose in a matter of minutes by poking a few holes in the lid and filling it with sugar water for bees to feast on.
This mason jar hack is most common among beekeepers who need ways to supplement the nutrition of their hives and colonies, but anyone can set up this simple bee feeder to boost the health of their local bees and attract beautiful pollinators to their backyards! Get the bees buzzing around your yard and boost your local ecosystem by ensuring that bees have plenty to eat in early spring and winter. With bee populations declining at alarming rates, this easy DIY feeder is an excellent way to keep clutter out of landfills while benefiting your local pollinators.
How to create a DIY bee feeder
Use a nail to poke holes in the lid of the mason jar. If you don't have the metal lid, stretch cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and use a rubber band to attach it once you've filled it with your bee-friendly syrup. Either version will allow the syrup to slowly leak out, while the surface tension of the syrup keeps it from flowing out too quickly.
Whether you are a beekeeper with hives or simply creating a syrup station for your local bees, there are several ways to present your feeder for the bees. One strategy is to create a small platform for the jar to rest upside down on. It should be high enough that the bees can crawl beneath it to access the syrup. Alternatively, you can use a small tray full of pebbles. Place the jar upside down on top of the pebbles so that syrup can easily flow out. This way, bees can access the syrup in the tray while remaining safely perched on the pebbles.
To make a syrup that bees will love, simply mix sugar with water. Colorado State University Extension recommends two parts sugar to one part water in the winter, and a one to one sugar to water ratio in the spring. There shouldn't be a need for these feeders year-round. Beekeepers should only need to supplement the nutrition of their hives during spring and winter.