Dual top feeder for 6-frame Dadant Blatt nucs Quarti

01 · BLATT, NOT DADANT US

One centimetre decides whether it fits

First, because it is what gets returned most: this item is Dadant Blatt, the standard in France and Italy, and takes frames with a 47 cm top bar. Dadant US frames, at 48 cm, do not fit. In Spain the usual format is precisely Dadant US, so if you are combining it with kit you already have, measure your top bars before ordering.

02 · THE TWO COMPARTMENTS

Made for the divided nucleus

The two compartments allow liquid and solid feeding at once: syrup in one and candi in the other, or both the same. That is what a divided nucleus — the 3+3 or A41 type — calls for, where each part has its own needs and should get its own without interference. Three litres split across them also saves constant refills while you are making up stock.

03 · CABOCHON AND SLOPED BASE

With candi it can stay uncovered

Against drowning it fits a cabochon, the piece that limits access to the liquid. If you feed solid candi you can leave the compartment uncovered: with no liquid surface there is nowhere to drown, and the bees get there sooner. The sloped central base steers the syrup towards the middle of the compartment, so no dead pool is left in the corners as the level drops.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY

High-density polystyrene brings insulation, which counts for more in a small nuc than in a full hive, but it asks for some care in handling: it scratches and gets nicked by the hive tool more than rigid plastic. It measures 275 × 495 × 70 mm, so check the space in your roof. And the usual rule: do not feed during the flow if you intend to harvest that honey for sale.