Water Wagglers

If you haven't seen a waggle dance then you're in for a treat.  Foragers will dance to attract potential mates toward water sources.  Put bee water stations out early in the season so that the location will be established when it gets hot in summer.  You'll be sure to see the waggle from a happy little bee. 

@ Copyright 2021 iAmErika

A study on "dirty water" by Bonoan et al (2016) was done to compare micronutrients bees sourced in fall or summer from pollen and water. Their study found that bees are generally attracted to sodium rich sources, and prefer water sources containing calcium, magnesium, and potassium when pollen is scarce.  
Rachael E. Bonoan, Luke D. O'Connor, Philip T. Starks, Seasonality of honey bee (Apis mellifera) micronutrient supplementation and environmental limitation, Journal of Insect Physiology, Volume 107, 2018, Pages 23-28, ISSN 0022-1910, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.02.002. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022191017304158). Accessed 2/25/2021.

 Bonoan et al

A previous study (Butler, 1940, 17: 253-261) suggested that bees use a water perception sense coupled with an olfactory appreciation of various volatile substances contained in these sources of water. In a the following table are the substances arranged in preference to the bee. 

C. G. Butler, The Choice of Drinking Water by the Honeybee, Journal of Experimental Biology 1940 17: 253-261; https://jeb.biologists.org/content/jexbio/17/3/253.full.pdf, Accessed 2/25/2021.

Butler

Regardless of the source bees need water.  Experiment with clean or dirty water in your bee water station.  Add or remove minerals and you'll be able to figure out what micronutrients your local bees enjoy.  


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