DIY Bee Waterer

A healthy farm has healthy bees and Strites’ Orchard has bee hives to help pollinate the crops on their 300 acre farm. Here are some facts from the Natural Resources Conservation Service of Pennsylvania:

• Some crops, including cherries and blueberries, are 90% dependent on honeybee pollination.
• 90 percent of the nation’s apple crop is pollinated by bees.
• Both consumers and growers benefit from higher quality crops and increased outputs when there is a healthy pollinator population.

Bees need water to cool their hives as well as thinning honey to feed the larvae.  Setting up a bee waterer with pebbles or marbles provides a safe water source where they can land.  The pebbles or marbles also help conserve the water so it does not evaporate too quickly.

I purchased an ugly brass dish from Community Aid and transformed it into a beautiful upcycled bee waterer that looks great in my garden.  Community Aid is a thrift store that raises funds for local schools, churches, synagogues, temples and nonprofit charitable organizations.  Wednesdays are half off day at Community Aid, so you can pick up a lot of things for very little money.  

The whole project cost me less than $6.  The dish cost about $1.  The spray paint cost $4.10 with tax.  The pebbles were collecting dust in my garage, so they were free.

To make your own bee waterer like mine, you will need:

• A brass dish
• Rustoleum Spray Paint in Satin French Blue
• Pebbles or marbles

Step One:  Wash the brass dish and let it dry.

Step Two:  Apply one to two coats of spray paint to the underside of the dish.  Allow it to dry for at least one hour.

Step Three:  Flip the dish over and apply one to two coats of spray paint to the top side of the dish.  Allow to fully dry for 24 hours.

Step Four:  Add the pebbles or marbles.  Add water so that it does not completely cover the pebbles or marbles.

Step Five:  Place in your garden and enjoy!