Pollinators need water to stay hydrated just like humans.  In fact, one hive can drink a quart of water per day. Bees are often attracted to swimming pools, buckets, or bird baths to drink, but often drown in the deep water. With a few household items, you can make a bee or butterfly bath for your garden!

Materials:

  • Shallow dish; we found ours at the dollar store
  • Glass beads, decorative fake stones, wine corks, rocks, etc.
  • Electrical conduit, cut to desired height, 1-inch diameter
  • Wooden dowel, diameter small enough to fit inside hollow conduit
  • Waterproof super glue, we used Gorilla Glue brand

Instructions:

  1. Select a good spot for your bee bath to go, preferably an area in your garden that is near flowers or vegetables but easily accessible by both pollinators & you.
  2. Flip your plate over so the back side is facing upwards. Glue wooden dowel to center, following directions on packaging. Allow to dry completely.
  3. Push your piece of electrical conduit into the ground in your chosen spot. If the soil is too hard, a rubber mallet may be used to push conduit in deep enough, so it does not tip over.
  4. After glue has dried, place your dowel/plate on top of electrical conduit, sliding the dowel into the hollow inside of conduit.
  5. Place you beads, marbles, rocks, or corks in the dish. Feel free to get creative, pollinators just need something to sit and rest on while they drink.
  6. Add some water to your dish, just enough to cover the items on the bottom, we don’t want the water to be too deep.
  7. Sit back and wait for pollinators to stop by your garden!

Tip: Be sure to change the water in your bee bath regularly, or else you will attract mosquitos instead of pollinators!

Based off Bee/Butterfly Waterer found here and here.
A similar example using a terracotta pot & saucer can be found here.