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Author Topic: Bees and a pool ?  (Read 2094 times)

Offline trumpet01

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Bees and a pool ?
« on: April 07, 2008, 04:58:23 pm »
This may be a silly question but here it goes. We have a large in ground swimming pool.My bees will be placed fairly close to it. Will I have a problem with bees trying to get water from the pool ? Should I place a bird bath or something like that near the hive with rocks in it so they can get water. I'm not too worried about them crashing a pool party, but I don't wan't to lose a lot of bees in the pool if I can avoid it. Thanks, Jim<><

Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Bees and a pool ?
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2008, 05:05:45 pm »
They are likely to go to pool. You can try a birdbath, but they seem to really like chlorine. Also your pool is always available. My neighbor is now complaining about bees at his pool. It appears as if three of my hives go to my good neighbors Koi pond, while two hives go to my JA neighbor's pool. They really aren't interrested in you or your kids though. They also like water simply on the ground. My bees continually drink dew from the grass in the morning as well.
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Offline MrILoveTheAnts

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Re: Bees and a pool ?
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2008, 05:47:23 pm »
A little sugar in the birdbath usually gets their attention after a few days.

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Bees and a pool ?
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2008, 06:38:13 pm »
A little sugar in the birdbath usually gets their attention after a few days.
Just make sure your birdbath is well away from your hives - you don't want to promote robbing!

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Bees and a pool ?
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2008, 09:10:13 pm »
>Will I have a problem with bees trying to get water from the pool ?

Yes

> Should I place a bird bath or something like that near the hive with rocks in it so they can get water.

Yes
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Bees and a pool ?
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2008, 10:05:51 am »
Jim, we have an inground pool with a pebble like deck.  The bees will go to the pool, not a question of a doubt.  There will also be alot of bees drowning.

My apiary is some distance from our pool, but until I took measures the spring before last to help the bees to understand that there are easier water sources, they loved this water and we were always rescuing bees.  The bees still go to the deck to drink the water that is warmed by the sun that splashes out.

You need to provide an alternate water source to try to train them to go to, instead of the pool.  It can really be a huge nuisance, the bees in the pool.  I would suggest trying to train them elsewhere, like using the very very very dilute sugar in the water.  Especially with the bees being close to the pool.  This will deter them immensely.

I have a ditch that runs along the width of part of my property that I dug for drainage.  Along the banks of this ditch I let a hose trickle.  This really helps with keeping many of the bees getting water from this source instead of the pool and deck.  But is not nearly even close to 100% effective.  It just helps out ALOT.  There are hundreds of bees at any given time sipping this water that drips down the sides of this ditch that is warmed by the sun. The bees like to drink warmed water.  Beautiful day in this greatest of our lives.  Cindi

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Offline trumpet01

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Re: Bees and a pool ?
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2008, 10:46:28 am »
Cindi,
      I think I'm going to put a bird bath near the hives and place rocks or something in it so they can get out if they get in. I'm hoping that they will get use to the bird bath before we open the pool. I'll be getting the bees the first of May and we won't be opening the pool untill sometime after that. If we open too early all we will get is a pool full of pollen. Thanks so much for all of your input. Everyone here on the forum seem to be very open and helpful. Jim <><