Donald Aitken
11710-129 Street
Edmonton Alberta Canada
T5M 0Y7
 
On Sat, 8 Mar 1997, MIKE ALLSOPP wrote:
 
> There are no beekeepers in the vicinity of the hotel in question, but
> as it is in a pretty arid region, the hotel gardens have attracted
> more than their share of honeybee colonies.
>
        I had a similar problem several years ago during a prolonged dry
spell in August. A lady with a Japanese garden called and told me that my
bees were bothering the people in her yard. When I investigated I found a
small simulated stream about thirty feet long filled with water. The bees
were standing shoulder to shoulder along the entire length of the bank,
sucking up water like it was the last stream on earth. It was quite
frightening for her guests; I felt a little nervous myself.
        I went back to the beeyard and provided three barrels with water
and straw along the route the bees were flying. I believe this would have
been more effective if I had done it BEFORE the problem arose rather than
after. The rain came soon after and the problem disappeared.