I have one flow hive about 150 yards from my deck. One my deck I keep some vegetables in planter boxes. Over the past 2 weeks, I’ve noticed these guys congregating around, seeming to dig in the dirt. Are they “carpenter bees,” my bees, something else? I’m in San Diego area, USA.
Thanks!
Not carpenter bees. Carpenter bee - Wikipedia
If you are in San Diego, they are probably my bees! 
Seriously though, they look like honey bees (Apis mellifera) and they are probably sucking water from the compost. With recent humidity in the 8 to 20% range, I bet a lot of colonies are desperate for water. I use a poultry waterer for our bees, with pebbles in the trough as a landing site for them. Keeps the bees out of the neighbors’ swimming pools… 
Just check if they have your brand on their little bums 
Seriously though, they look like honeybees getting water from the compost.
Cheers
Rob.
But I use child labor to water those plants! Now they are too scared … Guess I better give the bees some water options out in the yard.
Thanks!
Time for an educational moment for your child labor! 
Foraging bees are not protecting anything (like brood, honey stores, the queen etc). They are away from the hive, which they would protect if needed. They die if they sting, so they will never waste their lives when they are foraging (including for water) unless you step on them or otherwise threaten them. Watering the plants would not be considered a threat by the bees there.
There is absolutely no reason for them to be scared.
On hot days I turn a sprinkler on for a while near the hives, so the bees don’t have to fly all the way down to our dam. The bees really appreciate it.
Yes they will be your bees most likely. Ours just love to sip any drops on the ground or vegetable leaves. Once the rest of the gang were told there is a regular supply on tap at the vegi patch it was like happy hour each time the dripper system activated.They just go round us when tending the vegies.
Cam,
Heck ! I think it’s time for some kind of water feature around the yard. Doesn’t have to be expensive … In my main Apiary I have a small shallow pond n waterfall feature. My bees love it. I also have a satilite Apiary at my daughters shack about 15 miles from my shack. No fancy pond there. I have a 18" wide crockery dish that holds about 1/2 gallon of H20 … I’ve tossed in a good handful of rocks n stones of many sizes to give the girls safe landing sites in the water. I keep a gallon jug of of water (old Clorox bottle) so my daughter or I can top off the mini-drinking pool … They are happy campers n use both my water features during hot n dry periods.
And as for the kids getting stung. Bees foraging are usually pretty docile… I have handled feeding honeybees hundreds of times on n near flowers to get pix’s. Not a sting yet (knock on wood) … Heck our kids ride bikes n walk up n down roads n street. We could all fall n skin our knees. Probably me more than you as my eyes suck at times but I still get out n romp at 72 yrs 
. Do instill fear of bees just respect n skill. Great thots n questions !
Gerald
