Bees and my pond

[vanessa]

For a couple of months there have been 20 or so honeybees settling in one area of my garden pond. They appear to be feeding or grazing on the rocks that are at the edge of the pond, near water level but not actually drinking water from the pond. They stay for some time, not just dipping in and flying off - it goes on all day every day. Are they eating algae from the rocks? Or could they be getting moisture from it?
I'm intrigued - I've had the pond for about 7 years and it has never happened before.

[ansons]

They are amost certainly getting moisture from the dampness around the pond.
My bees regularly get moisture from pots I have on stageing next to the greenhouse which gets regularly watered by a sprinkler.

[Chris]

They prefer to collect moisture from mud or such like rather than risk losing their foothold in water.