Gavin Ramsay wrote:

> Presumably at this time of year their need to exploit honey
> stores rockets, and collecting water becomes priority number
> 1 - even when the cold makes it risky to do so.  Should we
> all be trying a water-filled division board feeder, like
> Dennis, to save them from perilous journeys in the cold?
> 

Hello Gavin-

An interesting suggestion! It actually makes more sense the more one 
thinks about it. Walt Wright has written about bees using water to thin 
out honey when they begin brood rearing in the spring- I seem to recall 
reading something to this effect in a recent Bee Culture. In the heat of 
the summer I have put Boardman feeders containing water on some of my 
larger hives and was fascinated to see the water being used up at a good 
clip.

For all the potential benefits of providing a division board feeder for 
water, I don't think I'd like to give up a frame for that purpose. This 
time of year, perhaps a soap dish of water on the landing board with a 
sponge in it might serve to give the bees a convenient source of water 
right by the entrance that they could collect water from even on a cold 
day, without having to fly.

I think I'll try that this weekend and see what happens.

George-
----------------
George Fergusson
Whitefield Maine

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************