Bee Water Stations
Bees cannot swim! The bee water stations used at UC Davis Honey Bee Haven keep the bee out of the water but allow them to drink from the water. On boards bees lean into the grooves of running water while keeping their feet dry at the edge. The bird bath station has several toothpick speared corks in it to keep corks from spinning while the bees drink. Lastly irrigation hose is wound up into a bucket shape and filled with moist wood chips. All of these are excellent was to help provide a consistent water source for bees.
Bees hate ants! Another way to keep the ants separated from your bees is to place some rocks in the center of your watering station. The rocks act like remote islands free from predators, so the bees can drink and relax in the same spot. Between dawn and dusk you can get hundreds of bees visiting in summer so keeping the water resupplied will keep them coming back.
UC Davis Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven is a resort for bees! Lead by bee friendly gardener Christine Casey is committed to helping the bees. Customized bee watering stations made of boards, bird baths, and irrigation hoses are strategically placed. She replenishes her “beetainers” every two days, but it depends on the number of bees visiting and whether there is a water drought. Since bees cannot get all their hydration from flora and fauna, they need water.
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