Pond Chemicals?

[Titus]

My neighbor has a small pond about 30 yards from my hives.  He has recently added some sort of chemical to the water that turned the pond blue/green.  Its a fishless pond and I assume the treatment is for algae or mosquitoes.  I see my bees drinking the water.  Anyone know if this will hurt the bees?   I haven't noticed them dropping over dead yet, but time will tell.   I'm thinking about burying a tub in the ground closer to the hives for a water source.  Anyone have experience with this? 

[CapnChkn]

I think the stuff you're seeing is a dye pond owners use to keep light from getting down to the lower reaches of the pond and growing algae.  I don't know what's in it, but the guys who use it fish in those ponds all the time.

As for the water idea, I don't know if the bees will accept it, you  could try and see what happens.  We used to put buckets under the spigot and leave pieces of wood floating in it.  I use a "hog pan" with a rock that has a wedge shape so the bees always have a way down to the water.  I just set that out on a cinder block near the hives, and wash it out a lot.

[Sparky]

A bird bath with some flat rocks in it works well near the house so you can fill it often.

[indypartridge]

Strike up a conversation with your neighbor and ask what it is he uses in his pond. Then you can do a search and see if it's harmful to your bees.

[BjornBee]

Titus,
Is the pond stagnant or with running water?

You may able to enlighten this homeowner as to some options also with the pond. If it is a stagnant pond, with no fish, why treat chemically to control insects when other options are available and perhaps more favorable. Maybe buy him a bag of fish as a gift. (Or just put them in at night and see what he does.  :roll:

If it is a running water pond with a pump, then mosquito's may not be a problem and hopefully the treatment is for some other reason, like coloring the water....which sounds a little nutty to me.

[Scadsobees]

Ditto on the dye(food coloring)...I've fished on a large pond nearby that the association dyes the entire pond blue.  Fish were big but scrawny but that's because everything is catch and release except for the bluegills.  As the Capn said it limits sunlight, any other chemicals that limit algae are also going to limit plants, and that's the point of the "pond".

You might just end up with some really neat looking honey!  Probably not though....

[Titus]

Its mostly a stagnant pond unless we get a big rain.  The pond is for watering his cows when he has them.  He just had the dam repaired so the pond was dry a few months ago and the few fish I had put in there ;) are all dead.   I'll ask him what he used in the water, I just dont want to sound like I'm trying to tell him what to do with his property.  I went down to the pond the other day and saw alot of bees drinking along the edge. 

[gaucho10]

Potassium Permanganate and Methylene Blue are used to treat certain fish diseases.

If he has fish in his pond that might be a reason.  PP can be used to kill just about anything in a pond.  Highly toxic (to humans also!!!)  Sometime PP is used to kill anything that might be attached to water plants before they go into a pond.  Sometime ponders will use it to kill anything in their pond even if they don't have fish.  PP = Highly toxic!!!!!

You better check to see what the hell he is doing!!!!

gaucho10
Spencer, MA

[Shanevrr]

wouldnt you think the bees are smart enough not to drink water thats bad for them? dunno

[gaucho10]

Absolutely not !

Bees ain't smart enough to know that they should not be drinking sugar syrup...they do it anyway... don't they !?!?!?!?

gaucho10
Spencer, MA

[Titus]

I talked with my neighbor and he said its aqua shade in the water.  He said it just shades the water to keep plants from growing on the bottom and its safe for cattle to drink the water.   The bees dont seem to be bothered by it so far.

[gaucho10]

Titus,  check your bees after dark and see if they glow.  :evil: