Hive entrance water drinkers

[Bee Bumble]

I have put these in the entrance to some of my hives in the summer:

Entrance Feeder

Fits in the front of your hive and its easy to use. Fill up with your sugar syrup mix and place lip of feeder inside the hive. Holds 500ml liquid Approximate dimensions- 84mm wide, 7mm deep at feeding end, 134mm deep to top of liquid container.

bee-equipment.co.uk

In the hope that they provide water to the bees - the level of water goes down, but is it being consumed by the bees or just evaporating?
Does anyone who uses these drinkers have a camera in their hives which shows the bees drinking from them please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

don't know anyone who uses them.

Or why you would need to - they're not budgies

 

[pargyle]

don't know anyone who uses them.

Or why you would need to - they're not budgies

I think they are intended as an alternative way to feed sugar syrup ... pretty stupid idea putting sugar syrup in the entrance to a hive - asking for trouble !

As for giving them water - bees will always find water if they need it - you would have to live in a desert for there not to be any around somewhere ... even on the Costa del Fareham there is water about within flying distance even in the hottest days of summer.

Perhaps the bees have used the 'drinkers' but I think it more likely that it has evaporated.

 

[Ian123]

It’s just a gimmick you may as well shove a bunch of flowers in the entrance to save them going out

 

[HughMann]

I use them near a hive but mainly as an area for me to get photo-shoots. I add a pinch of sea salt - next to a water feeder without the sea salt they clearly prefer the salted version.
As to evaporation, the salted one goes down 3 times faster - if a chemist here can say that salted water evaporates quicker, we have an answer.
Don't think I would want to add to the moisture in the hive

 

[Erichalfbee]

Even on a coldish day I see bees out on the grass collecting water if they need it.

 

[The Poot]

I used one in a hive this Summer and regret it. The constant small amounts of water that leak onto the inner entrance and channelled there when it rains has caused the wood to become saturated. I can no longer remove the entrance block. I have consigned the drinkers to the bin.

I have two bird bath type bowls available but the bees don’t use them, preferring to fly further to suck water from a filthy external door mat / shoe cleaner by the back door. I think they do it to terrorise my other half....

 

[Little_bees]

I have two bird bath type bowls available but the bees don’t use them, preferring to fly further to suck water from a filthy external door mat / shoe cleaner by the back door. I think they do it to terrorise my other half....

They do the same with the mat by my garage back door. It's south-facing and I think the black water-logged mat makes for a nice warm drink. On a sunny morning it can be completely covered with bees!

 

[madasafish]

There are very few (if any) areas of the UK which suffer from months of no rain, no dew and with no rivers/puddles or lakes. Bees drink from all those plus damp ground/waterlogged compost, peat etc.

Hence water feeders are an unnecessary expense and more work.

KISS.

 

[Little_bees]

Bees drink from all those plus damp ground/waterlogged compost, peat etc.

Don't forget all those nice damp cowpats!

 

[Swarm]

And plant pots.

 

[Patrick1]

don't know anyone who uses them.

Or why you would need to - they're not budgies

Lots of things make me laugh...................thanks

 

[Curly green finger's]

Lots of things make me laugh...................thanks

Laughing on the inside and out bloody brilliant!.