Bee Water Marbles

Foragers seem to seek water sources that are scented flottum says.

Bee water marbles.

They get this water from places like bird baths rivers and streams and open pools of water but they risk drowning. As for river and lakes bees risk their lives trying to get water in the presence of fishes frogs and other wildlife not to mention the risk of being swept away in water currents. After all without those busy workers in the garden you wouldn t have as many beautiful blooms or fresh vegetables and fruit to harvest. The marbles give the bees a spot to land without drowning.

A saucer filled with marbles or stones makes an excellent diy watering station for bees. Equally good is a bucket of water with plenty of bee rafts these can be corks sticks sponges or packing peanuts anything that floats. The marbles give the bees a spot to land so they don t drown when they come to drink. Bees know exactly where to return for the same water source.

A bee water feature. A bee bath is a simple bee water feeder that is easy to make and care for in your home garden and it s a nice touch to set out for your pollinating guests. So my guess is that clear marbles wouldn t make much difference. The rough sides are just right for getting down to the water without falling in.

They also may like water with algae and floaters for the same reason. Building a bee waterer. Finally i discovered another water option when we added a bee hive to our garden this year. I ve seen only 1 dead bee in the water after 4 months or so since we change the water every couple days there.

You can help give them an easier place to safely drink by as this post suggests placing marbles inside of a shallow bath of water. It is my understanding that honey bees detect water sources by smell rather than by sight. In fact some think that is why they are attracted to pools because they can smell the chlorine and or salt. Once bees discover the source of water they ll visit throughout the day but prime bee watching occurs just before sundown as bees take their last drink before returning to the hive for the night.

To help hydrate our little pollinators set up a water feeder by filling a pie pan with marbles and then water. Bees work hard this time of year and need available sources of water to rehydrate. One solution to this problem is to add marbles or pebbles to a bowl or pan and then add water.