With its tiny wings beating 10,000 times a minute to carry pollen and significantly contribute to our food supply, a single bee tends to at least 2,000 flowers every day. The bees become thirsty from their labor, especially on hot days.
Kim Flottum, editor of the Bee Culture magazine, writes in her book The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden: “Water is used to dissolve crystallized honey, to dilute honey when producing larval food, for evaporation cooling during warm weather, and for a cool drink on a hot day.”
“Bees know exactly where to return for the same water source. Foragers seem to seek water sources that are scented,” Flottum says.
One solution to this problem is to add marbles or pebbles to a bowl or pan and then add water. The marbles give the bees a spot to land so they don’t drown when they come to drink. No more drowned bees!
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