As a newbee to the forum I have a question about the new pollinator box (without honey). I have a neighbor complaining about the location of my 5 hives being too close to his garage. He leaves the fluorescent light on and they come to it and bonk into it, and sting his little poodle dogs, and his wife got stung. We didn’t want grandma to get stung, so I said I would move the hives. I got stung in the process about 45 times and luckily I enjoy the near mushroom like experience of intense apitoxin…still don’t really want to do that again.
The hives are still at least 200ft from him and I offered to get him a new light to replace his fluorescent. Was thinking about putting a light and maybe some water on our side to attract them, so they don’t go to his garage…and then the Pollenator box arrived. Is there a way to use that to help cure this problem; Maybe put it near to the hives to attract stray bees that are not a part of the hives? Or farther away to give the stray ones a place to go?
Where do I put this bamboo straw pollenator box? And can it help in my grumpy neighbor situation? (I already brought him a gratuitous jar of honey)
Put a 7+ ft (2m) screen up in front of the hive to block the light as an immediate fix. Plant a fast growing shrub for perhaps something different in the longer term.
By pollinator box I’m assuming you mean the little one with tubes for native and solitary pollinators. If so, it’s irrelevant to the problem you want to address.
Those pollinator boxes only attract solitary bees & wasps. For example: one hole = one pollinator. It gives the pollinator somewhere to lay an egg, plus room to store food for the young larvae.
Bees are attracted to lights at night. Therefore it’s best to make sure the bees can’t see the light by facing the entrances away from the lights. To make doubly sure, you could put a suitable screen behind the hives.
Ease up on the gratuities. I doubt they would work on a grumpy neighbor.
A grumpy neighbor buys some honey from me. Last time he said he wouldn’t mind trying one of my dragon fruits when they’re ready. He suggested I throw one on his lawn. I don’t think I’ll be doing that.
cheers
PS, my wife just informed me that you can buy LED fluoros that bees are less attracted to.
Great info, and thanks for the responses. I had a couple of other ideas related to water and light. Since I understand that bees are attracted to both, does it make sense to put a small solar light, and a water dish or bird bath near the hives? Any reason not to do either of these things?
Disclaimer, I have already put them there, and am asking a bit after the fact to make sure I am not making bad home range decisions. I get that they fly 5 miles around, and can get these anywhere they go, but I would rather they stay close to the hives and not go ‘bug’ the neighbors.
The shadecloth ‘dust fence’ we put up may be helping, as I haven’t heard from grumpy next door
Bees will fly to the nearest water source… They won’t typically fly 5mi for water…
Also, I’ve never seen bees collecting water of a night after dark. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
I can’t see what you’ve done doing any harm but I can’t see it helping (as far as the light on the bird bath goes).
And remember, a bird bath is largely pointless for bees. They need something to stand on. So ensure you’ve got sticks or similar, or that the water depth is shallow enough they don’t drown.