Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: Eric Conceicao on April 23, 2015, 06:00:35 am
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Hi everyone,
I'd like to set up a water source in an out apiary, yet have concerns with concepts that include pebbles etc. in a big container due to stagnating water (for example :http://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Building_a_bee_waterer/). Could anyone provide a link discussing water feeding that would prevent stagnation? Or simply point to a better way :happy: Ty for advice.
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Why are you worried about the water stagnating? Are you going to put 200 gallons nearby and then not check on it all summer?
Like dogs, or horses, or chickens or anything else.. give them fresh water. Put an appropriate amount of chlorine bleach in it to keep it as clean as possible.. and check it every so often and refill/replace.
Do you not have any water source within three miles of your hives? Cricks, ponds etc?
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I just wanted a very close source to keep them from returning to neighbors' yards for water and make sure they don't have to travel too far. As for stagnation, I'll prob take your advice and just make sure it's changed out every few weeks- probably the best bet.
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Well first off, don't worry excessively about stagnant water - insects happily drink stuff that would kill us humans ...
Bees have been known to drink from puddles of cow urine, and similar sources.
But - if you want to provide a source of clean water, then here are a couple of ideas ...
The first has a photo, and needs no further explanation:
(http://i62.tinypic.com/2gtr90g.jpg)
The second is the method I would choose, if my apiary wasn't adjacent to a dyke (local name for an irrigation channel).
It consists of a plastic container positioned on a stand - 5 gallons or so - and fitted with a tap near it's base. This tap is fitted with a 'drip regulator' such that a single drip of water leaves the container every second or so. If you measure the water level before, and after a set period of time, you can then figure out how often it will need re-filling (obviously).
Now comes the clever bit: running out from beneath the tap, and at a slight angle downwards (say, 5 degrees or so) is a long plank of wood. Set onto this plank are numerous angled battens, which cause this drop of water to zig-zag it's way along the plank, thus slowing it down, and wetting a much larger area.
I saw a photo of such a set-up 'somewhere' on the internet - the plank was covered in bees, and I've been trying to find that source again, without success. But I'll keep trying. I seem to remember it was located in Bulgaria or somewhere similar - halfway up a hill.
LJ
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Upturned bucket with holes drilled close to top of rim.
(http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l229/TrickieDickie99/BeeWaterSource._zpstprmpxqu.jpg) (http://s97.photobucket.com/user/TrickieDickie99/media/BeeWaterSource._zpstprmpxqu.jpg.html)
Also - http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=45722.0
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Great ideas john & richard. Richard, do you simply fill the bucket then flip it into the dish quicly- or do you have an area to pour water into
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Great ideas john & richard. Richard, do you simply fill the bucket then flip it into the dish quicly- or do you have an area to pour water into
Confession - the person who took the photo actually uses it to water her chickens, but the principle's the same.
I'd use the tight-fitting lid that comes with that type of bucket (usually for food ingredient storage); you drill holes around the rim of the bucket just below where the lid sits (when the bucket is in its normal upright position) so that when inverted, it fills up the reinforcing rim.
Either way, you fill the bucket, put the lid or dish on over the top and quickly turn it upside down.
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Awesome - going to make one now :happy: Simple design and super efficient