Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 11:44:40 -0400
To: BEE-L <[log in to unmask]>
From: "Richard G. Hall" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Bees' use of granulated stores --?
 
At 02:41 AM 4/19/98 -0600, you wrote:
>I wonder if anyone can explain how bees use water they have collected to
>dilute granulated honey in the hive.
>
>Here in c. NY the bees have been busy on the ground collecting water from
>any miserable little moist patch or puddle.
>The stores remaining from last season are by now granulated, or mostly so.
>Presumably the bees are using all this water to make use of the old honey.
>But -- has anyone observed just how they go about it?   I don't recall this
>behavior being described in the texts or journals.
 
George my bees down here in Tennessee were doing the same thing about a
month ago.  Even my patio was filled with bees after a small shower left
standing water.  My understanding is that bees need water to dilute honey
even if it isn't granulated.  All of my bees stores seem to be still in
liquid form yet they still collect alot of water during the early spring.
My guess is that they use empty cells to dilute the honey for their
comsumption when there is no nectar available.?  Just a guess.