Question about watering

[Ravenseye]

Hi all,
Waiting for my first shipment of bees. The hive is ready to go out in the yard. It is within 100 or so yards of a neighbors pool and within sight. I could move the hive but that would put it close to a busy road. I'm concerned the bees will like the pool water. We don't know the neighbor having just moved into this house recently. I bought a chicken waterer which I'll put near the hive. Should I put it between the hive and the pool? Should I add something to the water to attract the bees? Wondering what anyone else has experienced.

Thanks in advance!

[James Shoemaker]

I have a bird bath just away from my hives they use it sometimes. I have a watergarden pond I have more bees using that then the bird bath that sets 10 yards away from the hive. Funny how bees make up there mind where they want to get a drink from. You would think that they would use the bird bath being it's closer to the hives..

[AstroBee]

I'd recommend that you get to know your neighbors ASAP. With a pool that close, there is probably not much you can do to keep the bees from visiting it. I find my bees really seek out water on concrete (just like you'll find around a pool). This topic has come up many times and you should probably do a search to educate yourself on the best way to deal with this potential issue.

[Ravenseye]

OK. Will try to get to know the neighbors. I'm also hoping that since the bees will be hived around the first week of May or so and the pool is likely to be opened around Memorial Day, they will have grown accustomed to the water I've left for them. BUT....they'll also be on a feeder so I'm not sure how it'll work out. Also thinking of adding lemongrass oil to the water. If I move them to the other side of the house, they'd miss the morning sun but it would put them nearly an acre and a half from the pool and out of sight except to the road (not a walking road and well lined with trees). What to do, what to do....

[Tia]

My bees love their watering hole! It's one of those firepits you can buy at WalMart, Target, etc. I filled it with river rock and then water. It sits under a wax myrtle so it's in the shade in the middle of the day. The bees just flock to it! The marsh is right across the street, so it amazes me that they seem to prefer the firepit. They walk around on the rocks, high and dry, and sip at the edge. Very little chance of drowning, and I think that's why they like it. Another thing I've noticed is that they like it dirty. I cleaned it once, and they didn't like that at all.

[RonS]

I have read on this forum that bees are partial to swimming pools. I have one of those plastic water-feature octagonal pond buckets. It is about 2 feed deep and 3 feed around. I placed a large rock in the center and took Michael's advice and placed long sticks around the rock. I have seen many yellow jackets and red wasps using it, but only the occasional bee. It is about 10 feet in front of the hive.

[Michael Bush]

It seems to take the bees a while to find a new water source, and usually a failure in supply at the old water source. I put a bucket of sticks out a week ago and they are just now finding it.

[Hanginin]

An old bath tub with discarded potting flats floated on the water works well for me. The girls crawl into the potting crevice which has a small hole in the bottom, gets her drink and on her way. By all means get them trained before the pool appears.

[Dave W]

A Boardman feeder filled w/ water in hives entrance works well.