I was wondering if you all provide your bees water or do you think they can usually find sources of water in their flight radius?
Also, any commercial beekeepers out there? I’d be interested to know if commercial apiaries provide water?
Thanks!
Where I am it’s a requirement to provide an accessible & reliable water source but whether your bees use it is up to them. I have a pool, two fish ponds and several bird baths and they all get some attention but they do have their favourites.
At least if you provide a water source then you can argue that you’re doing the right thing if they become a nuisance around a neighbors dog bowl etc.
1 Like
We, backyard and commercial beekeepers, are required to provide a water source. For backyard beekeepers it has to be within 10m.
1 Like
It depends on your weather conditions and your surroundings.
Its prudent to provide a source nearby, if only to stop the bees being a nuisance to your neighbours.
However, having said that you cant guarantee that the bees will use it. Bees can often prefer dirty water to the pristine H2O you provide.
I supply a bucket of water with a towel wicking water up just to comply with the law, my rainfall keeps the bucket full of water but the bees overfly the bucket to collect dirty water from a constant water course nearby. I’m sure a commercial bee keeper would take the need for the bees to access water into considerations. It is in the bee keepers interest.
Cheers