Water for Pollinators - Ask Extension
Hello. What is the best method to provide water for pollinators - bees, moths, butterflies? Currently, I use a clay flower pot bottom filled with s...
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Water for Pollinators #941161
Asked July 31, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Hello. What is the best method to provide water for pollinators - bees, moths, butterflies? Currently, I use a clay flower pot bottom filled with small stones. I pour a small amount of water - enough to wet the rocks. I have never seen a pollinator use it. Also, I use a bee ball - a glass ball with glass knobs all over the ball. The knobs are supposed to retain water longer when water is poured over the ball. I saw a gnat use it once. Now, I am seeing advertisements about ceramic flowers. Please let me know. I do have shallow bird baths for the birds. They use them all of the time. Thank you.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
We aren't aware of any studies that have looked at various techniques. One of the most natural options would be to do what you've already done, which is to provide a shallow dish of water so insects can land on the edge (or on stones, sticks, etc.) and drink water while not standing or falling into the water itself. Refresh it regularly so it doesn't breed mosquito larvae. You might not see insects using it, but some wildlife might be visiting very early in the day or when they've gone unnoticed. You could also just skip the separate setup and let bees visit the birdbath instead, if it's too much trouble to keep a second water feature clean or topped-off.
Miri
Miri
