Bees seem to like my Water Feature - Any Solutions? (Pic)

[LongDuck]

I did some reading and hope this belongs here, but have noticed that the depression in which the plumbing comes into the water feature seems to attract an inordinate number of bees every morning. In trying to be sure they don't build a hive in there (it's just a 2-1/2" T-pipe surrounded by rocks and granitecrete), I've been running the water feature, which is getting rid of them, but some end up in the pool!

Because I know you like pictures;

- I guess HTML isn't enabled?

Any suggestions appreciated,

 

[Swampwoman]

Welcome, long duck. I have a constant battle of the bees around here because I have a beekeeper and hive across the road.

I will share the things I've done, but will warn in advance that I don't know which thing, if any, actually worked
But for the moment, I a bee free!

First, I'm assuming you've identified them as honey bees, not wasps, right? The info I'm gonna share would have a different and dangerous outcome with wasps s be sure!

The reason the bees are attracted to that area is they forrage for water, love chlorine and salt, but don't like actual open water...so they collect in areas where there's a surface to hold onto AND get their chlorine and salt fix.

As such, they also LOVE pool noodles and are attracted to the color. If you have any of those laying about, put them in a deck box

To distract them from the pool area, I put pool water in a birdbath at the southernmost edge of my property in line with their flight path. To make it even more attractive, I've also put a leaky hummingbird feeder there with red hb feeder. Inside the birdbath, I put a big pink sponge...they love sponges soaked with pool water.

So that's phase one, but bees are social communicators and will tell each other how to get to the yummy pool...so there's also some operant conditioning that as to take place. I got this info from an etomologist and was reluctant at first to do it until the number and hassle was just too great. It s violent and feels wrong, but is better than sing Tempo n them, which could kill off their entire hive if the took it back with them a night. I've been trying to glance the survival of that productive hive against the needs of a sibling whose anaphylactic

So, the way to condition them away from the pool is to create some very violent deaths to report back to the hive. (Yes, leave a few alive for this purpose.) In our case, for several days, we would net them and beat them to death with a pool noodle. I know this sounds completely crazy. It WAS completely crazy!

But somehow we now have NO bees in our pool.

We have three theories about how we managed to win the battle:

1. Word spread the pool was dangerous and the bird bath much nicer especially since the attracting noodles were no lnger in sight (this is what the etomologist would say.)

2. It rained, which reduced their need to forage water...so tey forgot about our pool for a whie, and are now distracted by the birdbath. OR te bee keeper got around to misting thm, which is hat you're supposed to do in the first place during dry weather

However, we've ad dry spells since, and no bees....

3. A ground hive of yellow jackets have taken up residence on our upper terrace, and their territorial nature as prevented a bee return.

So far these yellow jackets just fly off into the woods every morning, and don't come near the pool or deck below. I have Tempo to kill their substantial nest, but so far haven't done it, because I'm afraid in part that THEY are what's keeping the nuisance bees away.

BUT the deal is if just ONE encroaches I might reconsider the truce, as I have a pool party coming up in 2 weeks and there will be lots of food and drink around to attract them. So I'm still debating...


Good luck in your quest!

 

[LongDuck]

Thanks for the reply. I have no issue with causing violent death of a few honeybees (they are bees, not wasps) but am worried about the Africanized bees that AZ has. I was out earlier today installing a wire screen to limit their access to the shaded area under the rocks, as I think that's what's bringing them in. Running the water feature expels about 20+ each time! and then about 5-10 buzz around for a few minutes, probably wondering where the flood came from.

Will try this and then consider beating them like they owe me money. Thanks again for the tips on this unconventional pool problem.