# Why Are Bees Foraging on Moss?



## TWaz (May 26, 2009)

A bit of a weird question. I have several large bonsai displays in my yard. A few weeks ago I noticed honey bees foraging on the moss in the pots. At first I thought they were simply getting water from the damp moss but the bees have a perfect water source (a fountain with tricking water) just a few feet away from the pots which they only occasionally use. And even at the end of the day when the soil in the pot is dry there will still be up to 30 bees on the moss nearly all day. Are they after simply water? Is it possible to gather propolis from moss, or some other salts or minerals? The bees are very picky about which pots they forage in so something must be going on. Any ideas? I'm really curious...

tony


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

I have a pond with all sorts of plants growing. Skunk Cabbage, duckweed, grass and moss on the rocks. Moss seems to be the preferred spot to collect water. I don't think they like open water if they have another source. Probably has to do with frogs, fish and natural selection. I would bet on water collection.


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## Jer733 (Oct 5, 2008)

I agree with the water being the objective. Bees seem to like the older water that has organics in it. Fresh tap water is not prefered.

Also someone here posted about their seeing bees getting into freshly turned soil, maybe after minerals....

A little of both perhaps.


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## wcubed (Aug 24, 2008)

The best watering station is a piece of old shag carpet with drip feed from a bucket of lightly salted water. (half cup to five gallons) If the drip feed clogs, they will sip water from the carpet all day. Put a water-tight liner between the carpet and the ground.

Walt
Free advice is often overpriced.


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

walt >Put a water-tight liner between the carpet and the ground.

Is carpet on ground??? Put carpet in a plastic type tray etc.?

I saw a waterer made out of a drip bucket with a 2x4 leaned against it with grooves cut in it for the water to collect in. I believe the drip was an old IV hose. Could cover the board with carpet?


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## wcubed (Aug 24, 2008)

Am currently using a patch of carpet cut to fit in a cookie sheet (Baking pan) on the ground. Ideally, in the cold early season, some dirt would be added at the intake end to tilt carpet to catch the early morning sun. Took my cue from water foragers at a mud puddle. They sip the water from the mud, sun warmed, at the fringe of the puddle. The puddle can still have a glaze of ice that would chill them when tanked up. (They must have a pretty good filter in their sipper.)

Apply this observation any way you choose.
Walt


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