Bees get thirsty too

This week is Pollinator Week, when we celebrate all that the many types of pollinators—bees, butterflies, birds, bats, flies and more—do for us. It’s a good time to think of ways you can support your local pollinators. Remember that when it’s hot outside, pollinators get thirsty too.

Offer pollinators a sip of water

There are several ways to provide water for your pollinators, including:

• Provide a shallow puddle for butterflies, which practice “puddling” in order to get nutrients from mud or rotting plant matter. Just a tiny spot will do, though you’ll need to replenish water as it evaporates. You can use a small saucer and add sand, a bit of compost, and water.
• Create a bee watering station by filling a saucer or pie plate with rocks or marbles and adding water. Don’t entirely cover the rocks with water; bees will perch on the rocks and go to the water’s edge for a drink.
• Put out a birdbath. A wide, shallow birdbath is best, especially for smaller birds.

Important: Don’t create large standing water in your landscape, which invites mosquitos. And whichever water source you put out, be sure to clean it and refill it. You may notice that the bees, birds, and other animals will learn where the water source is. They’ll come back when they get thirsty again, so make sure the water source is ready with clean, fresh water.