Water lilies safe for bees?

[for-all-love]

I have a pond for which I want to provide a landing surface for the bees, to prevent drowning. Are water lilies safe? What color is best?

[BeeMaster2]

I have a one acre pond here at my farm. The bees do not need water lilies. They gather on the mud banks just above the water line and draw water from the mud. I suspect they are not only after water but also the minerals from the mud. I also have a water fountain within 50 feet of the hive. They use that for water, a lot but they still go to the pond, at at least 350 feet and work the mud.
Jim Altmiller

[paus]

I have fought water lily pads or liies for years they suffocate fish.

[Acebird]

I have fought water lily pads or liies for years they suffocate fish.

That's odd.  When I fish for bass I go right to the lily pads that is where they hide.

[BeeMaster2]

In a small pond the lilies totally fill the pond. In a larger pond or lake that is not a problem.
There is a pond down the road from me that they put lilies in last year. Right now the pond is solid lilies and the owner has stopped keeping it filled and he is letting it dry up, I suspect to kill them.
Jim Altmiller

[for-all-love]

This is good to know, but I was incomplete in my question. It's not really a pond, but a small (perhaps 10 to 15 gallon) container. I found a drowned bee there the other day, despite floating sticks in the container. I wonder what more I should be doing? Perhaps more sticks or something?

[BeeMaster2]

Bees prefer something that absorbs the water that they can like up water without standing in the water. Probably because wave action could knock them in the water. A floating sponge would work great.
Jim Altmiller

[for-all-love]

Bees prefer something that absorbs the water that they can like up water without standing in the water. Probably because wave action could knock them in the water. A floating sponge would work great.
Jim Altmiller

That's what I've ordered and will deploy Monday.

[saltybluegrass]

Jim
They sprayed lake O with round up. Now dealing with those consequences thank god your neighbor isn?t chasing that fly!

[BeeMaster2]

Salty,
I looked at it a little closer as I drove by yesterday. It looks like he did spray it with a herbicide. There is still water in it and I can see where about 8 feet from the edge, all the way around is dying but the center oval area, following the pond edge is still alive.
The only good thing is it is 5 miles away. A commercial Beek has his 64 hives about 2.5 miles away from them. It is probably the he closest water to his hives. Not good for him.
Jim Altmiller

[tycrnp]

We put packing peanuts in a water fountain. Our bees really like it.