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Offline trace.3820

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Attract/deter bees
« on: August 28, 2022, 01:08:10 pm »
Neighbors complaining about bees ?swarming? their fountain. They don?t like the water I put out for them.

How much lemongrass oil would you recommend for a 5 gallon bucket to attract them to mine and how much peppermint oil in their fountain to repel them?

Or any other suggestions?

TC


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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2022, 06:08:59 pm »
Lemongrass is an extremely volatile oil, so it wouldn't take much to make the water smell.  The question is, how much do you need to make the smell last, and how long do you need the water to smell?  It could be that if the bees are retrained to that water source, it won't matter eventually.  I don't really know about the peppermint either, but I'd want to be sure that their fountain wouldn't be damaged by putting oil in the water.

In my experience bees prefer dirtier water, so if you are using a 5 gal. bucket, don't change the water frequently, as the grosser it is, the more the bees like it.  Also be sure to put something in the water so the bees don't drown in the bucket (packing peanuts, sticks, big rocks, etc.).     
« Last Edit: August 28, 2022, 06:29:04 pm by The15thMember »
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2022, 07:55:34 am »
https://bushfarms.com/beeswater.htm
Bees are attracted to water because of several things:

Smell. They can recruit bees to a source that has odor. Chlorine has odor. So does sewage.
Warmth. Warm water can be taken on even moderately chilly days. Cold water cannot because when the bees get chilled they can?t fly home.
Reliability. Bees prefer a reliable source.
Accessibility. Bees need to be able to get to the water without falling in. A horse tank or bucket with no floats does not work well. A creek bank provides such access as they can land on the bank and walk up to the water. A barrel or bucket does not unless you provide ladders or floats or both. I use a bucket of water full of old sticks. The bees can land on the stick and climb down to the water.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline Acebird

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2022, 08:41:20 am »
Tell your neighbor to drain the fountain for a week while you provide a water source.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline trace.3820

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2022, 11:55:22 pm »
Lemongrass is an extremely volatile oil, so it wouldn't take much to make the water smell.  The question is, how much do you need to make the smell last, and how long do you need the water to smell?  It could be that if the bees are retrained to that water source, it won't matter eventually.  I don't really know about the peppermint either, but I'd want to be sure that their fountain wouldn't be damaged by putting oil in the water.

In my experience bees prefer dirtier water, so if you are using a 5 gal. bucket, don't change the water frequently, as the grosser it is, the more the bees like it.  Also be sure to put something in the water so the bees don't drown in the bucket (packing peanuts, sticks, big rocks, etc.).     
Well you sure are right I had some big old pots with no holes in the bottom full of dirt outside, and they had about a half inch of water on the top. I put some lemongrass oil in these as well as the 5 gallon buckets with floating corks. The bees are flocking to the dirty pots.


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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2022, 12:00:05 am »
This is true, they seem to like the old nasty type water as described at times, as I have witnessed myself! Anyone beside us witnessed this?

Phillip

 
Lemongrass is an extremely volatile oil, so it wouldn't take much to make the water smell.  The question is, how much do you need to make the smell last, and how long do you need the water to smell?  It could be that if the bees are retrained to that water source, it won't matter eventually.  I don't really know about the peppermint either, but I'd want to be sure that their fountain wouldn't be damaged by putting oil in the water.

In my experience bees prefer dirtier water, so if you are using a 5 gal. bucket, don't change the water frequently, as the grosser it is, the more the bees like it.  Also be sure to put something in the water so the bees don't drown in the bucket (packing peanuts, sticks, big rocks, etc.).     
Well you sure are right I had some big old pots with no holes in the bottom full of dirt outside, and they had about a half inch of water on the top. I put some lemongrass oil in these as well as the 5 gallon buckets with floating corks. The bees are flocking to the dirty pots.


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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2022, 09:12:10 am »
Keep in mind that bees need not only water but also minerals. The pot with dirt will have a lot more minerals in it than just faucet water.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline Bill Murray

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2022, 09:18:04 pm »
Depends on where that faucet water comes from Jim.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2022, 08:12:48 am »
Beemaster2
> Keep in mind that bees need not only water but also minerals. The pot with dirt will have a lot more minerals in it than just faucet water.
Jim Altmiller

Good point

Bill Murray
> Depends on where that faucet water comes from Jim.

This is true also... Especially if you are on a well. You can have the water analyzed for mineral content.

Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline trace.3820

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2022, 12:06:48 am »
I have a really cool 150+ year old 40 ft deep x 4 ft diameter dug well on my property. I don?t really want the county or city horning in my biz lol. Where can I get a reliable discrete test on my well water?


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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2022, 08:10:01 am »
I don't think the state keeps track here other than I sent in the sample and they send the results.  They didn't ask anything about the source of the water.  I sent it into the state and they gave me the results.  I also have a hand dug well that is about 24" in diameter and 46' deep.  I put a cover over it to keep people and animals from falling in...  I'm pretty sure I just googled "Nebraska" and "water testing" to get the phone number and requested a test kit, which I was billed for (but it was not much), and sent in samples.  My guess is that any hand dug well like that is contaminated somewhat with some bacteria and with Nitrates.  Mine was.  But after several filters, including reverse osmosis, mine is quite good enough to drink.  And unfiltered it's good enough for washing clothes, people and dishes.  I tried shocking it, but the results don't last.  There is too much surface area for things to live on in the lining.  I think another solution, which I haven't used, is to put a bubbler in and oxygenate the water to kill the bacteria.  The problem with using chlorine bleach to shock the well is that it is very hard on the reverse osmosis filter.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2023, 11:55:24 pm »
I have a really cool 150+ year old 40 ft deep x 4 ft diameter dug well on my property. I don?t really want the county or city horning in my biz lol. Where can I get a reliable discrete test on my well water?


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Trace did you get around to having your well water analyzed?
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline trace.3820

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #12 on: August 04, 2023, 11:56:38 pm »
No I haven?t but I need to get it done, I found a place that does what I need I just have to send in a sample. Also gonna get my deep well from my cabin tested.


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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2023, 12:03:18 am »
No I haven?t but I need to get it done, I found a place that does what I need I just have to send in a sample. Also gonna get my deep well from my cabin tested.


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Your dug well sounds really cool! 
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2023, 12:18:12 am »
Back in the 70s my wife and I lived in Bermuda for 3 years. Almost every house there collects rain water on their roof and stores it in a tank under the house. We lived in three different Bermuda homes while we were there. You put a couple of fish in the tank to eat any mosquito larvae that get in there. I didn?t know anyone who had any type of filter on their water system. We never did get sick from drinking this water and we did drink it. There was no such thing as bottled water.
Our bodies are very good at building up our immune systems to protect us from normal amounts of bacteria.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Attract/deter bees
« Reply #15 on: August 05, 2023, 12:29:21 am »
Back in the 70s my wife and I lived in Bermuda for 3 years. Almost every house there collects rain water on their roof and stores it in a tank under the house. We lived in three different Bermuda homes while we were there. You put a couple of fish in the tank to eat any mosquito larvae that get in there. I didn?t know anyone who had any type of filter on their water system. We never did get sick from drinking this water and we did drink it. There was no such thing as bottled water.
Our bodies are very good at building up our immune systems to protect us from normal amounts of bacteria.
Jim Altmiller
That is incredible!
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

 

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