what about adding salt to the water?
I add a tablespoon per gallon of salt, and a teaspoon per gallon of bleach - smells and tastes like a lot of the swimming pools around me, and keeps the bees out of the neighbors’ hot tubs etc.
The real task for me will be keeping my bees out of my own (salt water) pool. I have a small brook bordering the back of my lot. I plan on placing the hive outside the back fence with the hive entrance facing toward the brook. My fence is 6’ so HOPEFULLY the bees find the brook before they find the pool. The pool will be still covered for several weeks after I receive my nuc so here’s to hoping!
Heh.
Good luck with that… My Dad’s bees seem to PREFER the pool, nicely chlorinated, thank you very much… They fly right past all the nice clean pure water he puts out!
My kids are gonna hate me…