Do any of yal use entrance feeders as waters? I have a pool and read somewhere That this may keep the bees from using my pool as their watering hole during the summer. for those of you that tried it, how did it work for you? Thank's, Brad
any source of water works fine. just make sure there is a big enough surface for the number of bees you have and that they will not drown in it. i use the bottom of an old stock tank. poultry waterers work. even a dripping faucet with some gravel at the bottom.
train them to the water source so that they (hopefully) stay clear of your pool. a little sugar in the water, or some lemongrass, oil will help. you'll still get the occasional bee where you don't want them, but once they are used to a consistent water source, they will use it most of the time.
I have two hives behind my house and they seem to have a preference for our dogs water dish. I have not tried the entrance feeder but I will try it and see. Either way I think I am gonna have to move he dogs water or figure out a way to discourage them from going to the dogs bowl. It has alot of dead bees in it each day when I get home.
I have two five gallon buckets full of 16" long sticks and water. That works well. They are about 100 yards from the hives (right by my hydrant).
I used the Boardman feeders for water source last summer and it worked ok. The lids rusted out though and need to be replaced.
I have a bubbling brook just yards from my bee hives, so where do they go for most of their water......the filthy retention pond at the base of the hill below the housing development.
Correction; changed brood to brook because bubbling brood can be a disaster.
Brad:
I use the Boardmans for water instead of feed, but I also have concrete bird baths setup in yard for the bees which they like, lots of surface area. Trained them by putting alittle honey on it at first. Trying to keep them out of my neighbors pool... they seem to congregate on the ladder in the deep end of the pool where the plastic meets the metal, lots of rust and they like it!
...DOUG
I do use the large entrance feeders for water on a couple of my hives. I use the large ones from Brushy Mountain. I just set them by the hive and you can keep a good eye on the water from fifty feed away Take care Dave