howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
every year they seem to be getting smaller as can be seen in the pic.
we heard horror stories a few years back about how disease was hitting the bee population and the knock on consequences.
i had a wasp in my house the other day that was bigger than this bee.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Having just returned from a birthday break in Nottingham I can assure all the large bees are alive and well up there! We saw lots of them. I like bees it's just annoying wasps I don't like
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Then don't annoy them Jeane !!
Roger
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
Plenty of bees in my back garden
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
are they the archetypal bumble bee of old choc full of pollen or more like the emaciated one pictured above?
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
oh they are all fit and healthy
over the course of the year I normally get at least 3 species of bumble bee, miner bees, mason bees and carpenter bees; all of them nest in various parts of mine or the neighbours gardens
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
What are the bees that have a completely yellow/orange hind section without stripes? They look a bit scary to me.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
Jeane, those are probably bumble bees, Order Hymenoptera, Sub-Order Apocrita, Superfamily Apoidea, Genus Bombus (OK I looked it up but you did ask!
)
Here's I link to a project I was researching a few years ago, not many people realise it goes on but it's a major industry in the US and elsewhere (not for the squeamish) -
http://www.biovenom.com/?gclid=CKKrxvTEn6kCFQUOfAodGk05tgGuest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Hmmm....they looked like the Tawny Mining bees. I didn't get too close. Much as I like bees these seemed a bit scary!
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
oh they are lovely - i get those nesting in my lawn
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
It's just the colour that kind of puts me off, silly I know.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
For the last few years we have had lawn bees, lots of them in one area of the lawn, each digs a tunnel down quite deep but there is nothing to see on the surface (like those tawny ones pictured). They are quite harmless and docile and do not worry if you are working near them.
Our lavender 'hedges' will soon be out, and much loved by bees of all kinds, butterflies and other insects - excellent for attracting them to your garden.
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
We have lots of lavender which is just starting to bloom, I love the way it attracts bees. I've rescued a couple of them who fell in the garden pond and popped them on the side to dry, they were fine. Another one appeared to have sunstroke so I put him in the shade and found myself (gently) stroking a bee - amazing.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
I also like bees, as a child I used to capture them in a jam jar and let them go after a few minutes just so I could see them soar up into the sky.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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