Why so many thirsty honey bees?

[John H]

We have an old pottery bowl and jug full of water on the deck for birds to drink from. There is a constant stream of birds drinking all day. I have just been reading on the deck and it doesn't deter the birds at all so long as you don't make sudden movements. It does seem to be a thirsty time here in Taupo.

[kenj]

We have an old pottery bowl and jug full of water on the deck for birds to drink from. There is a constant stream of birds drinking all day. I have just been reading on the deck and it doesn't deter the birds at all so long as you don't make sudden movements. It does seem to be a thirsty time here in Taupo.

We have a birdbath outside our family room and can watch them for hours.... https://youtu.be/VfzEKE7d4sc

Ken

[Zippity]

We have had to place a 3" thick piece of foam in our bird bath to stop the bees and butterflies from drowning

[kenj]

Did you not see the lifesavers yellow flags on my video?

Ken

[Zippity]

Did you not see the lifesavers yellow flags on my video?

Ken

I missed the link

Have just watched it - cool

[tweak'e]

50,000 honey bees would consume 1.1 litres of sugar water per day apparently.

Therefore you must have about 60,000 bees visiting your feeder daily.

I see a flaw ...

consume is one thing, collecting is another.
1.1 liters is nothing a small amount of bees will clean up in no time.

[tweak'e]

Yeah, but we are in Broadmeadows, Wellington

its everywhere.
citys are some of the worse spots. every man and his dog thinks hes a beekeeper these days.

[Lurking]

We have a birdbath outside our family room and can watch them for hours.... https://youtu.be/VfzEKE7d4sc

Ken

Just the one starling!!. We get quite a collection of birds, until the stroppy blackbirds want in, white eyes are the only ones not afraid of the bullies.

Don't get any honey bees tho.

lurking.

[1101]

They are drinking 1.25 litres of sugar water a day.

Is this normal?

Thats normal for South Ak kiddies.
Perhaps local kids are steeling it ,to get their daily sugar rush .

Or bees are stockpiling it, for when the sugar tax comes in .

[Agent_24]

I don't believe the water level was dropping due to evaporation. At times, the sponge was literally covered in bees.

Evaporation would surely play a part, covered in bees or not.

Try covering the feeder (or setting up a second one) in mosquito mesh so no bees can drink from it. See if the level goes down. I expect it will.