Bees Foraging on Ground?

[sarafina]

I have a question about my bees.  We put in a small backyard pond and put lots of bee-friendly plants around it.  After about a month they found it and hang out there now.  We planted a patch of blue lobelia in one area - a small leafed flower with mounds of small blue-lavender flowers.

Every time I walk around to the lobelia I see 5 or 6 bees on the ground between the plants foraging around.  This is the only place around the pond I see this and they are always some there on the ground.  What are they doing?  Inquiring minds want to know........   :)

[doak]

They collect some substance from some plants to make the bee glue from.
doak

[sarafina]

They collect some substance from some plants to make the bee glue from.
doak

I thought about that, perhaps the bark mulch has something it in they use to make propolis?

[doak]

good color on the box, "bull frog green"?
doak

[JP]

They collect some substance from some plants to make the bee glue from.
doak

I thought about that, perhaps the bark mulch has something it in they use to make propolis?

Doubtful they are collecting anything from the mulch. They're getting something from the flowers.


...JP

[DennisB]

I see them on the ground in front of my woodworking shop where there is sawdust. Probably think it is some kind of pollen.....

Dennis

[Cindi]

Sarafina, the lobelia that you have is probably the mounding form, I call it Crystal Palace, that is the cultivar I have, it is a deep electric blue with a tiny white eye -- and makes that beautiful, short mound you are speaking of.  The bees go nuts on this lobelia, just like yours.  If it is growing near a pond at your place, I would think that the bees are gathering water from the moist soil.  I could think of nothing that lobelia would "drop" onto the ground that the bees would get.  The bees get the nectar from plants from within the nectaries, they must insert their tongue into these nectaries to obtain the nectar.  No propolis I think would be gathered from lobelia, just not that kind of plant.  Have the most beautiful and awesomely great day, lovin' and sharin' this great life we all groove on.  Cindi

[Kathyp]

i found bees in an old planter that had some soggy soil in it.  only thing i can figure is that they were taking water from the wet soil.  they were down on the soil.  there was nothing else in there but some grass and moss.

[sarafina]

i found bees in an old planter that had some soggy soil in it.  only thing i can figure is that they were taking water from the wet soil.  they were down on the soil.  there was nothing else in there but some grass and moss.

That must be it - they are getting water from the soil.  I have a micro sprinkler that goes off every night on a timer and that particular area doesn't drain very well.  I dug as much clay and gumbo out as I could stand and added back good soil and mulch but I bet it still stays moist most of the time.  It's not the only area around the pond that way, but they must be attracted by the lobelia and then find the moist soil.

Thanks for all the suggestions!