# water for your bees?



## palikaji (Jul 3, 2005)

Just wondering how folks do or do nothing with respect to water for your hives. Sometimes it gets pretty hot out here in my south facing backyard in Santa Cruz. I know there are stream sources within 1000 feet, but as I do fall into anthropomorphizing now and then, I think about something in the yard. A fountain, a bucket? 

What are you doing or not doing re water and why?
Thanks, p.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Hello palikaji--What we do for my bees would most likely not fit into the santa cruz decor! Placed an old claw foot bathtub into the ground twenty five feet from the bee yard at the outlet pipe of a wet weather spring. The spring keeps the tub filled until fall when things get real dry but have a backup plan--a water pipe just buried under the sod into the tub, turn a spigot at the house and the tub refills. Even get leapord frogs and crayfish taking up residence there. Works for us!


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## Ann (Feb 18, 2006)

I bought little aquifers from Brushy Mountain because my neighbors have a pool. We've got three of them in a bit of an arc - and I do see bees in them.


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## Larkspur (Jun 14, 2006)

I went to the Farm supply and picked up a couple of those poultry waterers. Filled the lip w/ some small pea gravel. Works great. Also set up a 5gal. pail with holes drilled a few inches from the top. Filled it with water and put some packing peanuts on top. Works great. When it rains the bucket filles to the holes and the float doesn't over run and fly away. Butterflies drink from it as well.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Ann, how do they work? I was interested in one, but they don't even have a picture.

My grandsons invented my waterer. It's a five gallon bucket with lots of sticks in it. The bees use the sticks as ladders.


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## onlygoodSHBisdeadone (Sep 10, 2005)

Heres a pic of one I built last Sat. Neighors where getting nervious because of bees sharing thier pool and bees didn't seem to prefer small pool I put out for them so I came up with this. My huntch is bees evaluate their water source the same as necture. Bigger v.s. smaller with tradeoffs with proximaty to hive playing into the picture soooooo using a small submersion pump from Harbor Freight for about $9.00, a 5 gallon bucket, 5 pound bag of fish tank gravel, a piece of 1/2 hose, a smidge of 1/8" hardware cloth plus odds and ends (couplers & tie wraps) I came up with this monstrosity. 
Basically 1/2" hose passes through lid up through stack where it is surrounded by gravel where it perculates through stones and screen down to lid where it filters back into bucket via holes drilled into lid. 
My thinking being the perculation will cuase a greater amount of water vapor to be released into the air creating a larger "footprint" in the air to which bees will sense a larger source of water than it actually is making it a preferable source as to next door pool. It's suppose to be up into the mid 90's the middle of the week so I should know soon enough. http://www.robleons.com/watersta.jpg

For anyone that builds one quick suggestion. be sure to drill some small holes in the sides of bucket at the top before placeing on lid. It needs to 'breath' or a vacuum is created and water has a tendancy to not filter well through lid and pours over rim.

[ June 19, 2006, 09:09 PM: Message edited by: onlygoodSHBisdeadone ]


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

I just placed masonite feeders filled with water in all of my colonies. This may not have been such a great idea though, because the bees do not seem interested in the least. Go figure.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Ann........ Can you snap a pic of Eli's waterer???


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

A Miller type feeder works good when set out a few feet from the hives. The main reservoir of the feeder will need to be screened of course to keep bees from getting into it and drowning.


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## palikaji (Jul 3, 2005)

Thanks for all the great ideas. I love claw foot tubs outside - mostly so I could take a bath in it, but a self feeding spring - that's awesome and very chic for the bees! I also like sticks in a bucket, easy and cheap, but how often do you change the water I would think it could get funky? And I love the homemade bucket thingy too, let us know if they drink from it. I'd llike to see a picture of Eli's waterer too.

I guess the general consensus is that you all believe you should provide some type of water. Thank you.


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## Larkspur (Jun 14, 2006)

I use a hive top feeder w/ compartments - thought I had a great idea of putting water in one compartment and feed in the other. After just 2 days the inside of the cover was covered with mold right above the compartment filled with water. Also the water was very warm and the bees were not taking any of the water. I cleaned the mold off and now just put feed in the feeder. I use the system I wrote about above for water.


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## Ann (Feb 18, 2006)

They're plastic tubs with a rimmed lip, mesh that covers the water and little floatie things that keep the net up. The bees walk on the net to get their drink - it seems to work well! I'll try to get a picture of one tomorrow and post it for you all.


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

My bees found the bird bath. I'm Put a five gallon pail within a couple of inches of the bird bath and floated some lath in the bucket for a landing area. I then emptied the bird bath. The bees wandered around on the emptly bird bath for a few days, but never started using the bucket. I'm beginning to believe I have exceptionally stupid bees.

[ June 20, 2006, 07:02 PM: Message edited by: Hillside ]


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## onlygoodSHBisdeadone (Sep 10, 2005)

update--- temps today 94. when I got in this evening and checked water station had bees coming and going with 4-5 at any givin time on the colomb loading up. Interested to see what the next few days bring.


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## SantaCruzBee (Apr 23, 2004)

Hi Palika,

In my part of Santa Cruz County I have tubs with a few water plants, lilies, etc., and the bees use them quite nicely. A claw-footed tub would make a nice lily pond. The tree frogs will appreciate the addition to the landscape, although I know a local beekeeper who can't stand their chorusing, personally I enjoy it. I have mosquito fish in the tubs (Gambusia sp.) to take care of the mosquitos.

Doug


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## Tia (Nov 19, 2003)

I bought one of those freestanding firepits, filled it with river rock and planted some pitcher plants in it. The bees love it. I just have to remember to fill it to the brim everyday because it evaporates fast!


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## DAVID E (Mar 23, 2006)

A Boardman feeder with a quart jar works well here in Alabama.


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## Jim Williamson (Feb 16, 2006)

I bought my bees a 40,000 gallon, in ground swimming pool. They love it.


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## Alienor (Mar 16, 2005)

#lol
I have some flat tables with a rim, lined with plastic, from a garden center.
I put a wooden swimmer inside and spice up the water with 1tsp VitC and a pich of salt per 10l or 2,5gallons.
The bees love it.
But nevertheless they prefer the muddy and algae containing water of my next neighbour's pond.
On my waterers are about 200-300 bees/ square meter, at the rim of that d***** pond are more than 1000 in the heat of noon......
#grummel


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## naturebee (Dec 25, 2004)

A thousand feet is close enough for a water supply. But if you have the time, build a bee watering pond:









http://members.aol.com/glennapiar/beepond.html


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## palikaji (Jul 3, 2005)

I'm really interested in the pond idea. What is the smallest possible container? How about a 1/2 wood barrel. I would love to get a claw foot tub, but being Santa Cruz it is ridiculously priced. 

In addition to being the one of the most creative communities I know, you lot are hilariously funny too. Much gratitude. Palika


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## Ann (Feb 18, 2006)

Finally I've got the pictures of the aquifers from Brushy Mountain.

Aquifer photo Aquifer again 

The nets and floats are reusable if the container breaks - you could use them in a 5 gallon bucket. The containers seem to be a bit fragile, or at least don't hold them from the side while jet-washing them, one broke a bit, which really isn't a problem provided we don't make the break worse with further handling!







I'm pleased with them, I think they work well. We've got three about 20' out from the hives in a bit of an arc.


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## Apuuli (May 17, 2006)

I have a large porcelain goldfish bowl with bladderworts, frog-bit, a water lily, and even a goldfish. It's placed just so and the rain falls off my roof and constantly fills the bowl. Unfortunately, I've only seen one bee buzz it so they don't seem to care. Not that water is in huge demand here where you have to breathe carefully so as not to drown in the humidity!


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## SweetBettyBees (Jun 19, 2006)

We have about a dozen hives and several nuks on a large deck near the house. On the deckis one of those fountains with a small submerged pump that pushes water up through a ceramic ball, the water trickles down the sides of the ball onto stones and seashells which hide the plastic mesh through which the water flows down to the pump again - it's like a saucer sitting over a bowl about 15 inches across and 10 deep - meant most likely for inside ambiance but somehow started using it outside and the bees (and squirrels, and cat, and heavens knows what else) found it. My point in all this is that most of these small fountains would probably work fine while looking good, if that's a concern. It does require access to electricity and there have to be things for the bees to stand on. There's usually enough rain to top it off but because of the pump we do keep an eye on the water level. I think "onlygoodSHBisadeadone" back aways, has something there about the footprint of moisture over an evaporating thing. 

On the other side of the bee deck is a stand of herbs in trays filled with pea gravel. I see a lot of watering going on there after a rain. The bees seem to like that situation, too. Far and away the most lovely sight of a watering honey bee is one on a fuzzy leaf of blue-green sage, sipping up a raindrop.

But the watering source that gets the most use here is an almost everpresent mud hole about 100 feet from this particular bee yard. As someone said earlier, go figure.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

On the aquifer, is there some membrane on top of some floats?


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## palikaji (Jul 3, 2005)

I'm so excited, started my "bee" pond today. Using a 1/2 wine barrel with a liner, already got some water plants and buying more online. Will add some water snails and a few goldfish and maybe a very small solar powered water pump, to keep the water moving slightly. Bees came to it within an hour. Thankyou so much for all these great ideas. Beekeepers really love their bees!


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## onlygoodSHBisdeadone (Sep 10, 2005)

Quick update as to bees using water station I posted on earlier...they like it.

http://www.robleons.com/watersta2.jpg


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## palikaji (Jul 3, 2005)

That's an awesome station. How far is it from the hives and how many hives are there? Palika


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