The right way to give bees water

When considering the nutritional needs of bee colonies, their water needs are often overlooked. Whether it is the water necessary for the rearing of larvae, that consumed by the imagos but also water useful for thermoregulation which is certainly intended to be evaporated but which thus deposits the substances it contains in the cell.

According to the authors, the annual needs of a beehive are around 13 gallons of water with significant variations depending on the region and climate. It should be noted that during the honey flow, the nectar brings enough water to the colonies.
The quality of the water collected by bees obviously has an impact on the health of the colony and the individuals that make it up.



Beekeepers can kill their bees by giving them water in the wrong ways, which will drown thousands of bees and weaken colonies. For this, the beekeeper must always put objects floating on the water, such as polystyrene plates, wood or cover the entire surface of the water with small twigs.

Mikimiqi 2 Pack Beehive Beekeeping Water Dispenser Bee Drinking Beekeeping Equipment Honey Beehive Entrance Feeder Nest Beekeeper Tools (White and Yellow)
The images below show the good ways to give water to bees without causing damage:

A jar filled with water and placed upside down on a plate with pebbles all around

Pieces of polystyrene on the water surface in a barrel

Polystyrene beads on the water surface.

Putting pebbles in a fountain

Drinker for animals filled with small stones

Whatever the drinking trough model, two precautions are essential: make sure that the water is not contaminated and ensure that the water don't immerses the pebbles.
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