When we had our new plot of land ploughed up, we discovered a fairly big rock in the middle of everything. It's about 12"x12"x8", maybe. No big deal, but our son, Sam, promptly marched his grandmother out there and together they dug it up, hoisted it onto a saucer-style sled, and dragged it into the yard where it has sat for 3 months. At first I was grumpy about this, since it's not particularly lovely. But after the bees arrived, I started to notice them sitting on the rock and gathering in small groups at the edge of the rainwater that collects in the saucer. This is now their water source, and unlovely or not, it's staying--at least until I find a more attractive basin.
Bees collect water and bring it back to the hive, not just for hydration but for use in building comb and in keeping the hive cool on hot days. My friend Julien just sent this fascinating short article about how they do this.
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| cartoon by Victoria Roberts |
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