My bees would always go down to the duck pen for their water.  I tried
to explain to them but they wouldn't listen!  ; - )
      billy bee
----------
> From: Kerry Clark of AGF 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299
<[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Bees and water
> Date: 1 mai 1997 12:56
>
>    It often puzzles (or embarasses) beekeepers that their bees seem
to
>    prefer tainted water supplies (neighbour's chlorinated hot tub,
seepage
>    from compost heaps, or worse) to the pure supply provided
(sometimes
>    only after the habit of using the other source has been
established).
>
>    I'm speculating, but maybe the pure supply is just harder for a
>    scent-oriented bee to locate ("inolfactible" (?) like invisible),
and
>    those water foragers with a distinct scent would gain more
recruits than
>    others with a scentless water supply. (even with, or in spite of,
>    recruiting dances, wouldn't you agree Adrian?)
>
>    If this is so, it suggests that scenting the (human) preferred
source
>    might help redirect the water recruits away from the nuisance
site. It
>    won't happen quickly if the nuisance source is a big and constant
one
>    (like a swimming pool) but a smaller one (hot tub) could be made
>    unavailable (tarp) for a couple of hot days, and the bees might
>    re-orient to the new, distinctly-scented source.
>
>    I'd expect a few drops of fragrant flavouring (anise, lemon,
vanilla)
>    would do the trick for 40 liters or 10 gallons of otherwise clean
water.
>    It should work even better if the scenting is done before the bees
>    become oriented to the "problem" source.
>
>    Water dispensed by the droplet down a sloping board, into a tray
of pea
>    gravel (nice dry platform for a bee) has been very attractive to
bees.
>
>    I'd like to hear if it works or not.
>
>    Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
>    B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
>    1201 103 Ave
>    Dawson Creek B.C.
>         V1G 4J2  CANADA          Tel (250) 784-2231     fax (250)
784-2299
>    INTERNET [log in to unmask]