Ever seen bees at a watering hole?

Bees not only bring back nectar, pollen and propolis to the hive, but also water. 

"Water dilutes the concentrated food, maintains humidity in the brood nest, and it's used to air-condition the hive, like an evaporative cooler," said Cooperative Extension Apiculturist Eric Mussen, who's entering his 33rd year as a member of the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty.

Beekeepers use a variety of watering devices to make sure their colonies have a steady supply of water. For example, some beekeepers slant a wooden board under the slow drip of an outdoor faucet. Others offer a shallow pan of water or a birdbath.

What's important is this: Bees prefer to stand where it's dry when they're taking a drink.

At the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at UC Davis, a regularly watered plant provides a favorite source of water. The distinct odor of the water makes it easier for bees to find or return to the source.

The Laidlaw facility's "watering hole" is an example of a honey bee watering device that beekeepers can use "to prevent bees from becoming a nuisance, or a perceived nuisance, to neighbors," Mussen said. "If beekeepers don't provide a water source, the bees may head over to a neighbor's dog bowl, sprinklers,  birdbath or hanging damp laundry." 

So, what do you do about those pesky mosquitoes that lay their eggs in standing water?  Buy floating mosquito tablets that break up in the water. "That strain of bacteriuum will not harm the honey bees," Mussen said.

The skies brightened last weekend and the rain-weary honey bees returned to the nectarine blossoms in our yard

They were in the pink again!

Capturing images of the bees gathering nectar and pollen is more fun than eating cotton candy at a county fair.

Springlike day.

Radiant pink flowers.

Industrious honey bees.

What more could anyone ask for a garden party?

Pistol packin’ mamas have nothing on honey bees.

Have you ever seen the pollen load that a honey bee carries?

What's pollen? It's the fine, powder-like material produced by the anthers of flowering plants, or the grains that contain the male reproductive cells of a seed plant.

The worker bees carry pollen in special pollen baskets on their legs. The baskets are  concave surfaces fringed with bristles or curved hairs to hold the pollen in place.

Only the worker bees have pollen baskets. The queen bee and the drones (males) have none.

"Honey bees derive their protein, vitamins, minerals and some carbohydrates from pollens," UC Davis Extension Apiculturist Eric Mussen writes in Bee Briefs. "Since no single pollen source provides all their nutritional needs, honey bees must have a number of pollens available to them to remain healthy and to produce the royal jelly required to feed the queen and rear brood."

Worker bees feed the brood "beebread," a mixture of nectar and pollen.

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Yesterday the honey bees on the grounds of the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at UC Davis buzzed around the almond blossoms, gathering nectar and pollen. 

It's amazing--truly amazing-how much pollen honey bees can pack in those pollen baskets.  

There are so many caring, kindhearted and generous people out there concerned about the plight of the honey bee.

From little girls who share their monthly allowance and birthday gifts, to all the schools, organizations and businesses  who donate to the honey bee research fund at the Department of Entomology at the University of California, Davis, the cry to "Save the Honey Bees" is resounding throughout the world.

In particular, the response to the Häagen-Dazs'  educational Web site, www.helpthehoneybees.com has been overwhelming.

Häagen-Dazs stepped forward in February of 2008 to help save the honey bees. They launched a national campaign, established a scientific advisory group, created the Web site and a new Vanilla Honey Bee flavor, and donated a total of $250,000 toward honey bee research at UC Davis and Pennsylvania State. They're also working to help fund a honey bee haven at UC Davis.

Approximately 50 percent of the Häagen-Dazs flavors are directly attributed to honey bee pollination. In fact, one-third of all we eat (fruits, vegetables and nuts) is pollinated by bees.

The declining bee population worries us all.

Enter California poet Michele Krueger. While enjoying a pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream and accessing the Häagen-Dazs Web site, she was inspired to write a poem about honey bees. She donated the poem to the UC Davis Department of Entomology.

In her email, Krueger wrote:  "I am a poet from Northern California (Lake County) and concerned about the bee crisis, too."

We thank her for her concern and her donation. Here is her poem:

Appreciation

Be the best you can be,

Honeybee.

For me.

Please pollinate

my berries,

sip nectar from

my flowers,

so you will have

the strength to fly

back and forth

for hours.

You have work to do,

Worker Bee,

for fruit tree

and for me.

Servant of Queen,

Feeder of Drone,

Soldier of Hive,

Miner of Gold,

I award you

Employee of the Season.

Honey is my reason.
 (Copyright, Michelle Krueger, Lake County, Calif.)
 

Which reminds us: last spring we watched scores of honey bees pollinate the nectarine blossoms in our back yard. Their work ethic dominates the insect world, and indeed, the entire world.  They are definitely  "employees of the season."

And "employees of the year."
 

Every year.