>Paul Cronshaw, D.C. wrote:
 >>
 >> I have been frustrated with drowing bees in the Division Board >
 >> How do I keep the bees from drowning in these sugar swimming pools?
 
Conrad Sigona wrote:
 
 >Have something that the bees can hold on to. Try either (a) floating
 >wood blocks or (b) throwing some straw into the feeder. If you use
 >wood, make sure it's rough and porous. Please understand that the
 >bees will eat (drink) from the wood; it's not that they use the
 >wood as a pier and stick their heads in the pool. Don't use stuff
 >that's not porous (for example, styrofoam).
 
But be aware that:
 
1.)  porous wood often gets waterlogged and sinks, beginning an
interesting rot process
 
and
 
2.)  mosquitos love a bucket full of stagnent water with waterlogged,
rotting bits of wood at the bottom.
 
I speak from experience.  I just removed such a mosquito factory from
in front of my hives.  While it was an interesting study in the life
cycle of the mosquito (I had egg floats, larvae and pupae in there),
it was not a desired effect so close to my house...
 
My bees will have to go rob the neighbor's swimming pools or go to the
local pond.
 
;-(
 
--glen