Hi George

Thanks for the link - you were right, another very
interesting piece from Dennis Murrell:

> http://bwrangler.farvista.net/gwin.htm

Here in E Scotland - not usually regarded as in the same
climate zone as Dennis' Wyoming - the unusually warm spring
just reverted to winter for a few days.  Snow showers and a
cold breeze.  Yesterday I looked at my bees near midday.
Despite the cold breeze, the sun was encouraging a lot of
activity.  Why?  No nectar to speak of in these cold early
spring days.  Must be pollen I thought - as they have been
stimulated into raising brood by the warmer weather and
coming spring.  No - no pollen coming in at all, they were
all busy collecting water from some discarded children's
garden plasticware.

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?

all the best

Gavin

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