. Agri-news. Agriculture. August 4, 1975 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HONEYBEES WITH A DRINKING PROBLEM Honeybees require drinking water to maintain their activities and function as a colony, and in hot dry weather the nearest source may be a water trough or dripping faucet. If this happens to be on another property, it can be a quick way to upset the neighbors, says Dr. Ulf Soehngen, apiculture supervisor for Alberta Agriculture. Bees need water to feed the brood or undeveloped young, to cool the hive on very hot days, to reliquify crystallized honey and for adult bees to drnk. Much of the water a c
. Agri-news. Agriculture. August 4, 1975 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HONEYBEES WITH A DRINKING PROBLEM Honeybees require drinking water to maintain their activities and function as a colony, and in hot dry weather the nearest source may be a water trough or dripping faucet. If this happens to be on another property, it can be a quick way to upset the neighbors, says Dr. Ulf Soehngen, apiculture supervisor for Alberta Agriculture. Bees need water to feed the brood or undeveloped young, to cool the hive on very hot days, to reliquify crystallized honey and for adult bees to drnk. Much of the water a colony uses comes from nectar gathered in the fields. However, during dry periods, when little nectar is available, and on extremely hot days, additional water is needed. Foraging bees leave their hives to collect water, usually from the nearest source. "It is at such times that bees may unwittingly become a severe nuisance to the neighbors," says Dr. Soehngen. Groups of water-gathering bees may appear at puddles of standing water, dripping faucets, watering dishes and troughs for livestock and pets. They beat a steady path between hive and water source. Water-gathering bees rarely sting unless threatened, but on a hot day they may be a potential hazard because of their numbers. Livestock and humans (particularly small children) may be hit or stung when they accidentally move into the bees' flight path. Dr. Soehngen gives a recent example in which several colonies were moved to a location across the road from a small acreage. Livestock watering dishes proved an attractive water source, and bees gathered on the acreage in numbers great enough to prevent children from playing outdoors. Beekeepers can easily avoid the problem, and maintain happy relation- ships with neighbors, by providing water in the beeyard. Buckets of water with floating material sufficient to support drinking bees will serve the purpose, Dr. Qnnhnnon cov;c — /dlberra AGRICULTURE COMMUNICATIONS. Ple
Size: 4270px × 585px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookleafnumber40, booksubjectagriculture, mayaug
