[Ben Brewcat]

I've set up a chicken waterer and filled the trough with gravel, and I'm hiving my first package this evening. Some comment that the bees seem to not use water as readily if it's right near (like on) the hive. Anyone have any feedback on waterer location for a hobbyist in town?

 

[Michael Bush]

I've seen them gather water 2" in front of the entrance. Close is not a problem.

 

[Ben Brewcat]

Thanks for the reassurance; close is good for me!

 

[David Stewart]

Related question: I hived my first nuc yesterday so I guess technically I'm now a beehaver until I become skilled enough to present myself as a beekeeper. I had to transport the hive 40 miles after hiving and when I got home with the girls I didn't want to disturb them for several days and let them settle in. I pulled a rookie error and placed an open feeder with about a quart of syrup about 30 feet from the hive. Needless to say, in three hours the feeder was covered with bees. I've identified at least two other beelines to other colonies (tame or feral is anyones guess) and may have triggered a frenzy. I noticed the guard bees were a little agitated near the hive(much headbutting and backing me off) so I removed the feeder at dark and quickly slapped the smallest entrance reducer on to my hive but I'm a little concerned about robbing. Watching the hive all I could identify were orientation flights and normal greeting/wrestling but no fighting. There were a few dead bees on the board with the feeder but I didn't examine them to see if it was fighting or just wet/chilled/drowned bees. Anything else jump to mind that I need to watch for?

P.S. Yes, I'm getting another hive for comparison and learning but for now this is all I have.

Thanks,
David

 

[Michael Bush]

Put some kind of feeder in the hive and close it up altogether with screen wire over the entrance, for 24 hours and the robbers will probably lose interest. A quart jar with holes over the inner cover hole and something to fill the gap so the bees can't get into the "feeder" box and a box around the feeder will do. Even the can that came with the bees, refilled and put on the inner cover works pretty well. Some of them have a plastic ring with cloth and some don't, but I refill the ones with the ring.