Honey Bees

[Madman]

For the last few years, Honey Bees have been visiting this piece of concrete. It's merely a paving block 8" x 16" x 1 1/2". They come in natural gray, red and green. They used to be more popular than they are now. The block is always slightly damp, as it sits at the edge of our pond. This past winter, a piece of it broke off from the ice and lengthy cold snap we had. If it's water the bees are after, they also drink directly from the pond in a different location. So it must be something in the concrete. It would be interesting to know what they are after.

I would upload a photo, but I cannot figure out how to resize it on our new Apple computer.

 

[pugwash]

It could possibly be the cooling effect that the dampness has on the hive during the summer. Although we have a pond the bees nest in the attic and under the eaves of the room with the pool table, in the summer you can see and hear them fanning the hive with their wings to keep it cool.
Having said that I once noticed loads of snails on a wall but none on an adjoining, but newer, wall that looked just about the same. My dad and brother instantly said it would be the salts in the old mortar that had subsequently been forbidden.

 

[owlpool]

Don't talk to me about honey bees
I was stung by one yesterday, my face is still swollen, l pulled a sickie today.
Worst of all it was friendly fire from one of my own bees

Btw, no ideas about your concrete, Dan. I'm guessing the water is the draw

 

[tramcar trev]

Are you sure they are Honey Bees? Mortar bees or Mason bees ( they wear funny decorated aprons) are attracted to damp concrete. Bees for reasons unknown to me seem to prefer to drink "dirty water". I have noticed after rain when there is fresh rain water on the leaves of my water lillies that the bees land on the leaves but drink the dirty pond water... Australian Long Necked Tortises eat bees especially if they are drinking water and can be got at.... Archer fish ( Toxoidies Jaculator) dont shoot down bees but shoot down any othe insect they can spot.
Bees drink large quantities of water.

 

[spoz]

I really don't know the first thing about bees; but is it possible they are after the calcium that's in the cement in the form of lime, and which may be disolved in the water? Do they use calcium to help them create the wax or something? - that might also explain why they go for dirty water in preference to clean.

 

[tramcar trev]

Apparently Bees convert the sugar in Honey to wax; http://galwaybeekeepers.com/bees-wax/
Well the Bees in Galway do.....

 

[Madman]

Are you sure they are Honey Bees? Mortar bees or Mason bees ( they wear funny decorated aprons) are attracted to damp concrete. Bees for reasons unknown to me seem to prefer to drink "dirty water". I have noticed after rain when there is fresh rain water on the leaves of my water lillies that the bees land on the leaves but drink the dirty pond water... Australian Long Necked Tortises eat bees especially if they are drinking water and can be got at.... Archer fish ( Toxoidies Jaculator) dont shoot down bees but shoot down any othe insect they can spot.
Bees drink large quantities of water.

I would be 99% sure. My neighbor keeps bees on his farm. The hives are only about fifty feet from our pond. In the Spring, some of the bees leave the hive in search of a new home for their new queen. It may happen more than once. Since the hives are so close to our back yard, we hear them right away. It's fascinating to watch. Although I have to keep the grandchildren in the house for a bit until the bees decide to move on. The sky turns black, there are so many of them. The sound is quite loud. That's saying something as my hearing is not what it should be. They always go to the same tree, near the top and are in a mass. I suspect the queen is in the center of the mass. Then, after about a half hour or so, they move on to another tree a couple hundred feet away. From there I know not where they go.

 

[ntpntpntp]

...... bzzzzz if you like, but you won't sting me! (and I'm not that old!)

 

[trammayo]

Oh what a wonderful thing to be .......

 

[1to3]

I would be 99% sure. My neighbor keeps bees on his farm. The hives are only about fifty feet from our pond. In the Spring, some of the bees leave the hive in search of a new home for their new queen. It may happen more than once. Since the hives are so close to our back yard, we hear them right away. It's fascinating to watch. Although I have to keep the grandchildren in the house for a bit until the bees decide to move on. The sky turns black, there are so many of them. The sound is quite loud. That's saying something as my hearing is not what it should be. They always go to the same tree, near the top and are in a mass. I suspect the queen is in the center of the mass. Then, after about a half hour or so, they move on to another tree a couple hundred feet away. From there I know not where they go.

Madman,
Honey Bees swarm when the hive gets to a certain size... during the swarm they are on the move for a new hive. You are correct they will find intermediate places while the workers go out in search for a new hive home. (Sounds like your tree is there go to spot) the good thing is when they are looking for a new home they are not aggressive and unlikely to sting even if someone slowly put their hand in the group. (Any volunteers )

Bees do take in lots of water, so your pond is probably convenient. Maybe the neighbor can offer you some honey for the trouble?

 

[Madman]

This year I reconfigured the waterfall on our pond. The piece of concrete that the bees were visiting broke apart after with last winters help, and has been replaced. The bees now are enjoying the new waterfall, which is a nice and easy flow over cascading flat rocks. All day, hundreds of bees visit the falls, have a drink, then fly back to the hive. It's amazing how the procession never ceases.