Honey Bee Sanctuary - NOT!

[Fishkeeper]

It might not be a new beekeeper, but a new swarm that set up in the area and is having trouble finding enough water elsewhere.

 

[Mimi13]

LOL. Bees DO drink a lot of water. Water in, honey out.

I use a 3 gallon chicken waterer, with the trough full of small pebbles in the front of the house for the bees too lazy to come around to the irrigation fountain to drink. Keeps me from having to fill little troughs all day.

That’s a GREAT idea too.

 

[Mimi13]

It might not be a new beekeeper, but a new swarm that set up in the area and is having trouble finding enough water elsewhere.

Well, I’ve been feverishly reading about honey bees this afternoon with that thought in mind. But, what I’ve found about swarms is they generally happen in spring and early summer and it is hotter than hades here today. This ‘swarm’ you are talking about, is it one that has newly set up in an actual hive, or one that is clinging to a tree branch somewhere close to me? One thing I have noticed is when they leave the waterer they all head in the exact same direction. Oh, you ask me how I know? Because, on more than one occasion, I have stupidly been standing in the same place and been hit or nearly hit by a bee flying with either a really heavy load or intoxicated. I dunno, but they do have a hard time taking off and boom, there I am. (Where’s the “I should’ve had a V8” emoji?)

 

[Fishkeeper]

I mean maybe one that set up shop in the spring, had plenty of water then, and is having trouble with water now. If it was just a traveling swarm, they would have left by now. There's definitely a hive living somewhere, the question is just if it's someone's kept hive or a wild one.

Have you tried following them? If they all go in the same direction, you might be able to spot them coming into your yard from the same general area.

Alternately, you could see if there's any kind of neighborhood forum for your local area, and post on it asking if anyone keeps bees or knows where there's a hive. If it's a newbie beekeeper, they may not know their bees need more water.

You're always going to have bees, though. If you suddenly don't have bees, that's time for a very big concern.

 

[NatJ]

If the bees all fly the same direction, you can put the water as far that way as possible--more convenient for the bees, and keeps them farther away from the chickens.

 

[Mimi13]

Have you tried following them? If they all go in the same direction, you might be able to spot them coming into your yard from the same general area.

My house is in the middle of about 200 acres. We have pulp wood land all around our 20 acres. Unfortunately, I’m not sure it’d do any good.

 

[WthrLady]

Well, I’ve been feverishly reading about honey bees this afternoon with that thought in mind. But, what I’ve found about swarms is they generally happen in spring and early summer and it is hotter than hades here today. This ‘swarm’ you are talking about, is it one that has newly set up in an actual hive, or one that is clinging to a tree branch somewhere close to me? One thing I have noticed is when they leave the waterer they all head in the exact same direction. Oh, you ask me how I know? Because, on more than one occasion, I have stupidly been standing in the same place and been hit or nearly hit by a bee flying with either a really heavy load or intoxicated. I dunno, but they do have a hard time taking off and boom, there I am. (Where’s the “I should’ve had a V8” emoji?)

OH no. The goobers can swarm in the fall too. Usually it's a hive issue.

I just helped rescue an 8000 plus bee swarm. It was insanely huge. The odds of it making it through the winter are slim, but we're going to try. The new owner knows shes' going to have to feed it all winter as they have no honey stores. She's game to try as it's cheaper than buying three packages of bees. She'll split the hive in the spring and force a queen hatch or buy a separate queen.

 

[bnther]

I’m thankful the bees are not visiting the other waterers now. I don’t want to put their water too far away because I am having to refill the shallower of the two three to four times a day. There isn’t a leak in the container so either the bees drink a lot or the water is evaporating quickly. That is the reason I put the deeper container up on the table too. I honestly had no idea the water would not last a full day.

I think someone suggested a 3 gallon container with pebbles...(it's been a long day ). That's an excellent suggestion. Point of fact, a pair of 5 gallon buckets filled with rocks -- for the bees to crawl on -- would give you even more time.

If rocks are hard to come by, stack a layer or two of standing bricks in your 5 gal buckets. You can fill the water right up to about half an inch below the top of the brick and your 'invaders' should have enough to land on.

I would imagine that this situation will probably go away at some point in the near future. Nature has a way of balancing things out. However, if the problem returns next year, then I would start looking around. There's got to be a bee keeper close by who isn't doing a very good job of caring for their bees.

Keep us posted and good luck!

 

[Mimi13]

OH no. The goobers can swarm in the fall too. Usually it's a hive issue.

I just helped rescue an 8000 plus bee swarm. It was insanely huge. The odds of it making it through the winter are slim, but we're going to try. The new owner knows shes' going to have to feed it all winter as they have no honey stores. She's game to try as it's cheaper than buying three packages of bees. She'll split the hive in the spring and force a queen hatch or buy a separate queen.

Just the thought of all this totally amazes me!

 

[WthrLady]

We have a great time catching swarms.

Last time the heat and humidity were insane, over 110 and the bees were not happy. And the bee suits....saunas!