Water situation

Shawn · January 22, 2008, 01:13:44 PM

My wife and kids are part of the SE Colorado Home School asociation and everyone in the group is getting excited about my son and I starting bees in the spring. One lady said she'll buy all i have no matter the cost. Another lady is wanting us to put the beeson her land, they grow alfalfa and corn, mostly fields of alfalfa guesing 400 to 500 acres. The only bad thing is they live 20 miles away and gasoline right now is 2.95. She also said I needed to be careful in town because the bees will swarm the water bowl of dogs and cats. I know I have to put out water supplies for the bees but my concern is for my dogs. I have a lab and will be getting a police K9. I can not afford to let anything happen to the police dog that would prevent it from working. Is the water bowl thing going to be a problem? Would I be better off taking them to the farm? I really wanted to have them in my yard so I could watch them. I spent a lot of time planting and getting the yard ready for the bees.

bassman1977 · January 22, 2008, 01:21:12 PM

My dogs have gotten stung and they yip and get over it. Their main water bowl always has bees around it. They stick their faces in it and I don't think are ever bothered by the bees. Sometimes the bees go into the drink and if I see them doing the backstroke, I fish them out. Some times they fly away. My dogs have gotten stung when they got too close to the hives. They do that once and they don't get too close after that. I don't think you'll have a problem. One thing I recommend before you decide on whether or not to keep your bees in town is to check your local laws and make sure you know what is and isn't allowed. As far as the alfalfa is concerned, unless they grow it for seed, the bees won't have flowers to pollinate since it will get chopped a lot.

Kimbrell · January 22, 2008, 05:20:41 PM

After a few stings my dogs learned very quickly to stay away from the hives. When I go to the beeyard they stay on the edge of it never offering to come too close. If you live where there is no natural water source, how about a birdbath? It should be high enough off the ground that your dogs won't bother it. And if the birdbath is close enough to your hives the bees shouldn't bother your dogs' water.

Understudy · January 22, 2008, 07:22:36 PM

My dog has acquired wisdom when it comes to dealing with bees.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Michael Bush · January 22, 2008, 08:55:17 PM

I've had dogs and bees for 34 years now. I try to keep five gallon buckets full of sticks out for the bees. They prefer an reliable and safe place to get water to the dogs water where they can easily fall in and drown.

annette · January 22, 2008, 09:17:54 PM

I keep my bees on my friends property up the block. He has a dog, but the dog never comes close to the bee hives. He knows. Smart doggie!!!!!

JP · January 22, 2008, 09:52:37 PM

You can always do this:

Sincerely, JP

annette · January 22, 2008, 11:26:53 PM

JP, do the bees really go to that water fountain??? I had a small solar water fountain up at the bee hives when I first started and they would not go anywhere near that water.

JP · January 23, 2008, 12:18:22 AM

Annette, that little fountain was for decoration more than anything. I posted the pic to show Shawn that he could build a fenced enclosure to keep his dogs away from his hives, like I did for mine. I have a drainage canal across the street from where I live and where my main bee yard is, I have the Ms river nearby. Several of my bees however are attracted to a neighbor's fountain, which I gave him! :-D

Sincerely, Jp

annette · January 23, 2008, 12:20:41 AM

OK, now I understand.

Have a good evening

Annette

JP · January 23, 2008, 12:35:13 AM

;)

Cindi · January 23, 2008, 11:04:05 AM

Shawn, like everyone has said, I highly doubt the bees will "swarm the water source", that is a pretty strong statement. Yes, they may drink from the dogs' water, alot, but there is not such a huge concern that you shouldn't keep bees in your yard. That statement didn't fly with me, sounded like an alarmist, if you ask me.

Provide lots of drinking places for your bees. Like Michael even said, buckets with sticks, there are so many options, bird baths, dripping hose, soaker hose, and the list goes on and on, use your imagination and let the bees be at your place. You need to have them near you so you can observe their wonderful and glorious little lives. That will make you happy.

It sounds like you have been working hard to get your yard set up to be bee-friendly, that is alot of work and you owe it to yourself to keep your bees home. Yeah!!! That is good.

You home school your children I see. That is a wonderful thing, and I am kind of in the know about how much work that is. I take my hat off to you and your Wife. My Cousin homeschools 4 children of hers and has for the past 8 years. There is alot of work to it, and there are so many bonuses too. Like, if they want to go away for a few days, or take some time off, they just work a little harder on the schooling each day, and then they have the time off. Time is on their hands, and she gets so much accomplished during the "school day" that it would blow your socks off (if you wear them, hee, hee).

Shawn, don't worry about the dogs and the bees, the dogs have a high respect for the bees, unless you have one like my Daughter's pittbull that loves to eat the bees that venture too close. Have an awesome day, good luck. Cindi

Jerrymac · January 23, 2008, 12:15:52 PM

Since this is about water and bees I will tell about this that happened a couple of weeks ago. It was one of the warmer days and bees were out scouting for things. A couple of us humans were going in and out the door. I had just came back inside and my son said, "there is one of your bees." I looked down and a bee was slowly flying about three inches off the kitchen floor. She slowly made her way over to the dogs watering bowl, circled a bit and landed. Crawled down to the water and took a long drink. She then flew into the window where I captured her and threw her back out side.

I know I'm gonna catch all heck for this.....
Just like a gal that drinks a lot. Can't find the door.

JP · January 23, 2008, 12:27:09 PM

A bee coming in the house, then drinking water from the dog's bowl... Could only happen in your house Jerry! ;) :-D

Most girls are drunk after just a few sips, JP

tig · January 23, 2008, 09:15:42 PM

a couple of stings and my dog learned to stay away from the bees. the cats were smarter....they've always kept a wary eye on the bees .a couple of my cats sun themselves on top of the hives and the bees ignore them. they even come out with me when i open the boxes and enjoy milling around while i work the hives. they don't get stung at all no matter how close they get. i think it's because they use slow, careful movements not like my dog who prances and dances around the boxes, like waving a red flag in front of an enraged bull. LOL

Brian D. Bray · January 24, 2008, 01:08:30 AM

Had an old Black & Tan hound, beautiful bell tone bugle when baying trail, who would occassionally lay near the front of my hives and eat an occassional bee. Always ate the returning bees, never the leaving bees. Sweeter I guess. Snatch it right out of the air like a stiking rattler.

Michael Bush · January 24, 2008, 07:31:31 AM

I've had dogs, bees and chickens since 1974. They all got along fine. I added horses to that in 1999 and they have all gotten along fine as well. I did have to fence the horses off from the hives, but they can still graze right in front of them if they like.

bassman1977 · January 24, 2008, 09:52:12 AM

We have a small creek real close to our property. I am sure the bees go near there for water, but they seem to really like the dog bowl. I've also seen them going after the condensation drain when the air conditioners are running in the summer. In an effort to keep the bees out of the dog's water bowl, I put a bowl of water in the middle of the apiary. The bees didn't pay any attention to it. I even added a few drops of bleach. Tried moving the dog's bowl to the back of the house...didn't work...they found it. :'(

Cindi · January 24, 2008, 10:43:06 AM

Jerry, did you get that trouble from any forum gals? Hee, hee, well, here it comes, trouble!!!! There....done, I have a voodoo doll.

Muck, bees love muck. I have seen my bees outside where there can be fresh water and they go to the mucky, muckiest muck. It was the run off from the duck's bathtub and it is always warm muck, they love warm muck, and this was even covered in green algae!!!!!

Just look at this:

Have an awesome and wonderful day, Cindi

annette · January 24, 2008, 01:37:49 PM

Actually from what I am reading here on this forum, they go to the muck because they can filter out the muck and get just the water they need. (believe MB mentioned this before)

Annette