Arcticdude
Top Poster
Rocks that float?
Bees
- Thread starter Robinjopo1
- Start date
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No. I use a shallow waterer and add the rocks because those critters are prone to drowning. We had a swarm and they would drown in our pool edge which was only 1 inch deep.
Okay, funny story for the day. My son, for newbies, he is a special needs person, when we pulled up to the bee hives, saw the smoker and he said "oh, is he cooking the bees?" I cracked up.
That incoherent sentence sounds as if it was written my Donald Trump.
That incoherent sentence sounds as if it was written my Donald Trump.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
I see. Our stock waterers are about 2' deep. They do a great job of drowning yellow jackets but don't really want the honey bees to drown.
Im using one of those chicken waterers. Plus I'm putting pea gravel in the birdfeeder as a precaution
Arcticdude
Top Poster
That's a good idea. I just didn't want to haul water any further than I had to though. The bee area is about 400-500' from the water line. I'm planning to run water to the chicken coop and garden but the bees will be the other direction.
I'm not sure how much water they drink. I hanging a one gallon chicken waterer from a tree close to the hives. Hopefully, it will keep them away from the pool. I don' use chlorine or salt so that won't attract them. I use an ion generator only.
TexasFreedom
A True Doomsday Prepper
Put a piece of nylon rope in the waterer, it will keep them from drowning in it. 1 gallon is not that much, keep an eye on it and never, never, never let it go dry.
I change chicks daily, so I'll just add to rotation
Arcticdude
Top Poster
Daily? You spoil your chicks Robin. I haven't watered our chickens in weeks. This time of year we have springs everywhere. They just go water themselves. When it drys out later this Spring I'm going to setup an automatic waterer for them.
Well, the chicks are still in the "playpen" and they spill continually even though I have the container suspended on a rope to keep them from stepping and pooping in it.
I won one of those automatic nipple watering systems that hooks to a water hose and it didn't work out for us. The water would sit in the pipe and be about 100° even though I placed it on the shady side of coop. It's simpler just to give them fresh water daily. Plus during the summer, I add a large frozen gallon jug of water to keep them cool.
TexasFreedom
A True Doomsday Prepper
A few thoughts on chickens. First, I really don't like those nipple waterers. Often the chickens do not get enough water and that reduces egg production. I'd rather have hens drinking water that is a little dirty than not getting enough water.
Now keep in mind, depending on how friendly your bees are, filling their water may require some protection. I've had my bees chase me after dark when it was so dark I couldn't see my hands in front of my face as I was trying to fill their water. I wouldn't dare try that in daylight, note their water is 2 ft from the nearest hive and within 10ft of 10 hives. Might be better to have 2 waterers, side by side. Let one go dry & it'll be easier to refill. Meanwhile they can keep drinking out of the second, and side by side means they won't abandon it.
Ahh, you are one of "those" people! In Tennessee? Here in TX I don't bother with that. I do have a large pan. Picture a really big 2" deep cake pan that I fill with water. The birds drink that water some, but in the heat they will stand in it for a couple of minutes & cool their feet. I have other places with larger water containers, but that's their version of A/C.
Now keep in mind, depending on how friendly your bees are, filling their water may require some protection. I've had my bees chase me after dark when it was so dark I couldn't see my hands in front of my face as I was trying to fill their water. I wouldn't dare try that in daylight, note their water is 2 ft from the nearest hive and within 10ft of 10 hives. Might be better to have 2 waterers, side by side. Let one go dry & it'll be easier to refill. Meanwhile they can keep drinking out of the second, and side by side means they won't abandon it.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
The commercial bee keepers around here don't provide water for their hives. Some of the hives appear to be a mile or so from water. How far will the bees travel to get water?
I live by a Corps of Engineer lake . 300 ' from water. My chicken waterer is next to hives so that they have a source without going to swimming pool and drowning
TexasFreedom
A True Doomsday Prepper
AD, the bees will travel as far as is needed. They must have water. And they don't need lakes, any puddle will be plenty. Even dew. Down here it's in greater demand because they use it for cooling (evaporative cooling) the hive. But they also drink some.
I DID IT!!!!!! Both queens are alive. I hope i remembered everything. Lordy, i need a valium.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
Thanks Tex. The bees will be about a half mile from the pond. I also have several stock tanks that are closer and in opposite direction from the pond. Plus they'll only be about 500' from the garden and orchard. This time of year with the melting snow there's water everywhere.
TexasFreedom
A True Doomsday Prepper
Robin, That's great news. You are now in the presence of royalty! Treat them as such. Don't bug them. If the queens are free in the hive, don't go looking for them every day/other day/ week. Give them a chance to settle down. Make sure they have some food (sugar water/pollen) if it's not available (ask your mentor) and step away from the hives. Too many new BK in their excitement keep checking for her and eventually kill her by mistake. Like with everything prepper, stay calm.
Water is a good example for a topic. A bee often dies from wearing out their wings. A bee typically lasts about 500 miles of flight. If water is a mile away, one bee will only make 250 trips back & forth before dying. And lots more bees are dedicated to getting water because it takes so long to fly the 2 mile round trip. Instead, let's say water is 20 ft away. That is under 1/100th of a mile round trip. It can easily make 50 round trips (allowing for drinking & dispersing time) for the one trip at a mile away. That frees up 50 other bees to go out foraging. And that can be the difference between 40 bees dedicated to water collection vs 2000 bees just getting water. It adds up.
Water is a good example for a topic. A bee often dies from wearing out their wings. A bee typically lasts about 500 miles of flight. If water is a mile away, one bee will only make 250 trips back & forth before dying. And lots more bees are dedicated to getting water because it takes so long to fly the 2 mile round trip. Instead, let's say water is 20 ft away. That is under 1/100th of a mile round trip. It can easily make 50 round trips (allowing for drinking & dispersing time) for the one trip at a mile away. That frees up 50 other bees to go out foraging. And that can be the difference between 40 bees dedicated to water collection vs 2000 bees just getting water. It adds up.
Thanks TF. I'm not a nervous person, but I can say that I was very apprehensive. My chicken waterer is on 5 or so feet from the hives. The bird bath is about 50' away.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
Good point. I'll set up a shallow water trough closer to the hive area and transfer water from a barrel.
I just moved the hive location from where I originally wanted it, it was too close to where the solar panels are going to be installed.
Something else I just noticed, I get good cell reception where the bee hives will be set up.
