Location: Water vs Food supply?

Plainsman53 · February 22, 2017, 10:50:47 PM

I'm trying to decide where to put my hives. My top choices would be right beside a center pivot irrigation system with grasses, clovers, and other cover crops with permanent water source a quarter mile away or close to the water source's--a stock tank overflow with a few trees around that would put it a quarter mile away from the main nectar sources. Does it really matter?

BeeMaster2 · February 23, 2017, 12:45:22 AM

No it doesn't. The important thing is to have a good water sourcel closer than your neighbors pool. It doesn't sound like that is your problem.
Jim

Acebird · February 23, 2017, 08:03:34 AM

What are the other choices? Monoculture is not the best.

bwallace23350 · February 23, 2017, 09:29:54 AM

My water source is probably a 300-400 yards away. Does not seem to bother my bees. They will go a couple miles in any direction for food.

Michael Bush · February 23, 2017, 10:09:26 AM

1/4 mile one way or the other is not too relevant. More distance is relevant.

Plainsman53 · February 23, 2017, 11:49:03 AM

Thanks for the replies.

Acebird, it won't be a monoculture. There will be several different species strip tilled into the grass. Different types of legumes, brassicas, and broadleaves. I finally got things set up last year where I could be flexible and vary from 30 to 120 day rest periods on the pastures. Priorities are on cattle and soil but bees should be able to piggyback really well.

Acebird · February 23, 2017, 01:51:50 PM

I don't want to discourage the planting but planting is not enough to sustain bees. They need a natural source of nectar.

Joe D · February 24, 2017, 12:35:35 AM

This is just me but the life expectancy during the spring and summer is not long, they work their selves to death. They have to go distances to flowers for nectar and pollen so I try to have water close. Most of my colonies have fresh water within a few feet from their hive. I know this is not what everyone can or would do. I also have a water faucet with a couple of links of hose at each place I have bees. So I go by check the bees and fill the containers.

Joe D

BeeMaster2 · February 24, 2017, 05:55:51 AM

Joe,
The life expectancy of a bee during the spring, summer and fall is about 3 weeks.
Jim