water for bees

[denise_ky]

I would post this on the bee forum but I still can't access it.

I have an angel trumpet plant in a large planter which has a 3 x 1 opening at the bottom where excess water can drain out. This
plant is on my front porch. I've noticed bees going in and out of this opening the past couple of days presumably to get water.

Also my daughters have a plastic Fisher Price "kitchen" they've left outside to play with. When it rains the sink fills up with dirty water and the bees go for this.

Last year I had a tray of dirt with some seedlings in it and moss growing on top of the dirt. They used this when it was wet to get water. Anybody else have any unusual places they've seen their bees getting water from?
Denise

[BeeTexas]

Denise, I haven't been able to access "Bee Forum" for a couple of weeks, I thought it was me because the date keeps current so someone is posting on it. Is it us or is it them?

Dave

[5TR-Apiary]

I haven't been able to access the forum in days! I thought it was me-hopefully they are working on it! It was on another post-so they are aware of it!

[dragonfly]

Last Fall, I had an old large piece of black plastic that I usually use to cover the compost pile during the summer which helps keep the pile from drying out too fast. I had already used the compost and had the piece of black plastic lying over to the side of my compost area all bunched and wrinkled up. There were old dried leaves, dirt, and bits of compost still on it, and we had had a recent rain which filled up various little "wrinkles" in the plastic. That water was so filthy and had algae growing in it that I'm surprised it didn't smell, but the bees thought it was wonderful stuff and there were hundreds of bees on it daily until the water all dried up and/or was taken back to the hive. I found it interesting that bees seemed to gravitate to that old rank water when we have a spring-fed creek that usually runs year-round. Who's to say?

[Michael Bush]

Mabye clean water is hard to smell and smelly water is easy to find when you use your sense of smell. I don't know, but mine are quite happy with fresh if it close and it's always there. They get it from anything they can, but the dog really doesn't appreciate that they use her water dish.

[hoosierhiver]

my bees like their water the skankier the better,when it's real hot, i use boardman feeders with water in them, but they stll like mud puddles better,maybe it's a source of minerals.

[AstroBee]

We've been working on our landscaping and seem to have a pile of mulch that won't disappear. The bees absolutely love to take water out of the mulch pile after a good rainstorm.

[Michael Bush]

Also, I find that the forum is slow, but if you're patient enough it will work.

[denise_ky]

I have heard the rankier the water the better because of the mineral content,as HH says. They say to attract butterflies use sand, some type of feces and fruit juice.They go for the minerals. Probably the same is true for the bees. That's why they will go to your neighbors pool.

As for the forum, Michael, what do you mean by being patient,exactly? Do you keep clicking on the reload button and then it eventually comes in? Guess we can all catch up with it this winter!
Denise

[zuckerman]

Howdy, I have two birdbaths in the yard, 6 feet and 25 feet from the hive entrance, the neighbor has another birdbath 40 feet from the hive. The close bath does not seem to get used, the 25 ft. bath gets used only when the neighbors bath is empty, and that bath gets used all the time. (another subject, seems like the bees ignored my apple this year too, its about 10 feet from the hive). Anyway, the neighbor and I were talking over the fence yesterday, and she mentioned that the bees were getting water from her birdbath, and that she also noticed that there are many fewer birds around her bath since the bees were using it, I said I didn't know why the birds weren't there, and she said she didn't either, because she didn't know much about the birds and the bees. we both paused for a moment while we thought this through, then began laughing...
so, a question. Is it because the water and apple tree blossums are too close to the hive that the bees don't see/use them? Having a good time tending my new beehive. 2nd brood super on and its' filling fast. cool weather, 60's and partly cloudy the last couple of days here in madison wi. hope to open up and check out my hive today....

[Michael Bush]

>As for the forum, Michael, what do you mean by being patient,exactly? Do you keep clicking on the reload button and then it eventually comes in? Guess we can all catch up with it this winter!
Denise

I just click on it and wait five minutes. Sometimes less. I think everytime you click reload you will slow it down by starting all over again. It is frustrating.

[denise_ky]

I've been clicking and waiting but then that 504 (or whatever number it is) timeout thingy comes up. Like I said, it'll be good winter entertainment IF they get it fixed by then.
D.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

That's what I thought, everyone has gone to 101! The Forum takes about forty seconds to load for me.
Bill