Make your own Bee Bath for Thirsty Bees

Many people set out bird baths and hummingbird feeders so why not make a bee bath to help thirsty bees? Bees play such a vital role in the environment by pollinating at least a third of our food.

Besides helping the bees, people that have bee baths have noticed how much more successful their gardens are since they attract more bees! More bees means better pollination of your flowers, fruits and vegetables. 

First it is important to decide where to place a bee bath. Bees are often attracted to bird baths and swimming pools and easily drown in the deep water. Making a bee bath and placing it away from these locations helps solve that problem. The bees will quickly learn your bee bath is a reliable water source and will continue to use it as long as it is available

Choose a spot where it is protected and shady. Set out a shallow dish. It’s best to use a dish that is glass or ceramic if you use plastic chemicals may leech into the water. Add some stones into the dish these are for the bees to sit on and so they do not drown in the water. Some bee baths we’ve seen used marbles but by using stones this also helps provide minerals beneficial to the bees. Add just enough water that the tops of the stones are not submerged. 

Important: Change the water at least every other day and clean the bee bath weekly to eliminate mosquito larvae.

Bee bath benefits:

• Water helps bees dilute crystallized honey they use water to dissolve the crystals to make the honey useable.
• Bees use water to help with their digestion they dilute the stored honey so it can be used by foragers for energy.
• Feeding the developing baby bees the larvae need lots of water.
• In hot weather the bees place water drops around inside the hive and the evaporation of the water cools the hive.