I don't know where Iddee finds this stuff, but this is a 1 gallon regular mouth jar. I had been getting half gallon regular mouth jars from him, from flea markets and from yard sales. He mentioned at the last meeting of the Guilford Beekeepers that he had a couple of 1 gallon regular mouth jars, and that I was welcome to come and get them. I did that this morning when I went to help him move a hive.
When temperatures stay above freezing, I use the larger glass jars with chicken waterer bases to keep water for my bees in the city. This jar is pictured beside two 1 quart plastic jars that I keep out when temperatures may go below freezing.
Keeping water out for the bees has served me well. Several months ago, a neighbor with some bee knowledge came to complain about bees in her bird bath. My neighbor and I pointed out my waterer jars and that we both kept water on the top of our rain barrels for the bees. I explained that it was possible that some of my bees were going to her water, but that bees are good economists and would not likely go a couple of hundred yards past my water to get to her bird bath. I also let her know that there were other beehives in the neighborhood and probably some bees in hollow trees in the park near our homes. (Iddee had done a trapout for the City in that park a several years back.) I also gave her a jar of honey. Yesterday, she came by to return the empty and to purchase another jar of honey.
Thanks to Iddee, I don't have to worry about the bees emptying water jars if I am not around for a day or so.
Bees are going heavily to water today at 43°F with brood rearing really ramping up.
