The Bees Knees

[Lotsaveg]

Hi BigShot,

There was a little bit of a covering visible when I removed the roof but the bees obviously felt that they needed to extend this after removal. The amount they'd built in 1 day was staggering and when I checked yesterday evening the covering was a lot bigger. Unfortunately my camera battery was flat so I didn't get a photo, so hopefully I'll post one later today.

It's also very interesting comparing the different photos to see how the little honey pots develop.

Regarding the disease threat, I spoke to the MD of the company behind Beepol yesterday morning.
A concern was raised by the BCT because apparently foreign honeybee pollen is used to feed the new queens whilst they are creating the colony nucleus. This has apparently been the procedure for many years in producing the hives of European buff-tailed bumblebees for commercial pollination uses. I was assured that a stringent sterilisation method is in place to ensure diseases and parasites are killed before using the pollen. To be fair, this does seem rather obvious and makes sense, since why would a business risk its livestock (and I guess reputation) by introducing diseases. Animal farming procedure come to mind here.

[BigShot]

I suppose the only down side about the new roof they are building is that it will make it impossible to watch them if they make it a complete cover. Pity.

As for disease, I can see many more potential vectors than just pollen. Unless they are grown in complete and sterile isolation I simply can't see how they can ensure zero pests or diseases coming in.
Why would a company do something that could introduce disease? Quite simply, £.
The same reason the BBKA endorsed pesticides as "bee friendly" when they were among the most bee-toxic of all.
The same reason many farmers plant huge monocultures and pay no heed to crop rotation.
The same reason some game estates kill any and all predators whether or not they pose a "threat" to the game stocks.

Really, reputations don't matter to companies half as much as the money. Especially when they can rely on the only people who truly care about their reputation being a few environmentalists and beekeepers. The beepol buying public at large (farmers, schools and families) are unlikely to even check like you have or like I would.

I'm looking forwards to the next picture-update. I'm still surprised by how much they did in a day. I know honeybees make huge amounts of comb in a hurry, but they are working in teams of thousands!

[Lotsaveg]

Absolutely amazing! The bumbles have been really busy and almost completed their roof... Yes, unfortunately it does mean I can no longer see inside the nest, but at least they're safe and happy!!

I found out that if you're not logged in as a member you can't see the images, so I guess a lot of people won't know what we're talking about

[pipscariad]

Wow, amazing pictures yet again Lotsaveg.

Please don't take this the wrong way, because I know you love your bumbles, but do you think you may be stressing them a little by keep taking the lid off? I know very little about bees really though, so this may not be a factor?

They are so lovely, just look at those around the edges, bless them.

[Lotsaveg]

Wow, amazing pictures yet again Lotsaveg.

Please don't take this the wrong way, because I know you love your bumbles, but do you think you may be stressing them a little by keep taking the lid off? I know very little about bees really though, so this may not be a factor?

They are so lovely, just look at those around the edges, bless them.

Thanks Pipscariad,

I only have quick look at the nest a couple of times a day and the bees are absolutely fine with this. There's no agitated buzzing from the hive and not a hint of any angry individuals. In fact, they're still bringing pollen back into the hive whilst I watch. I just have to be careful I don't trap any when I close the roof down.

They should have a treat soon because I'm planting a bed of broad beans close to the hive soon!

[BigShot]

Fast workers... aren't they!

Any plans to use the wax for anything when the hive eventually winds down for good?
I don't suppose you'll get a whole lot from that, but it might be enough to use.

[Lotsaveg]

They certainly are! They now have a wonderful slope going down through the middle of their new roof and into an entrance hole.

I was sitting in the garden this evening (sampling a cold bottle of Pinot) and noticed four buff tailed bumblebee queens going into holes in the ground around my Beepol lodge.

Could these be the queens I saw leaving the lodge a couple of weeks ago that have set up new nests? If so, I'm going to be over-run by bumblebees!!

[BigShot]

Tonight I came back from the plot to find a bumble (looks like the same species as the ones shown above) in the bath. Assuming insects sleep, I decided to leave it undisturbed overnight.

I've popped a glass over it so it doesn't make itself hard to catch, but didn't want to throw it out in the dark as, being a day-flyer I have a feeling it may cause it trouble to be thrown out a window at this time.

Big bugger though. I'm always amazed by the size of them.

I've seen a few odd looking ones too this year. The nearest I've been able to get to an ID is a Tree Bumblebee... but that's just from a quick glance at the BCT's site.


EDIT
Dead bumble in the bath this morning. Not a happy start.

[Lotsaveg]

Tonight I came back from the plot to find a bumble (looks like the same species as the ones shown above) in the bath. Assuming insects sleep, I decided to leave it undisturbed overnight.

I've popped a glass over it so it doesn't make itself hard to catch, but didn't want to throw it out in the dark as, being a day-flyer I have a feeling it may cause it trouble to be thrown out a window at this time.

Big bugger though. I'm always amazed by the size of them.

I've seen a few odd looking ones too this year. The nearest I've been able to get to an ID is a Tree Bumblebee... but that's just from a quick glance at the BCT's site.


EDIT
Dead bumble in the bath this morning. Not a happy start.

Oh dear! Sounds like it was probably one of the last 5 curly-tailed tree bumblebees left in Britain!! The BCT will be after you now!

[BigShot]

Ah well as long as it was just the gooseberry.
That leaves 2 breeding pairs.

[mothhawk]

Hi all,
I'm new to this site, but really pleased to find this thread, because I seem to have a bumblebee in one of my bluetit boxes. I put a load of tumbledryer fluff inside in the autumn (to make a warm winter roost for any bluetit that needed it), and that has all been fluffed up and something inside it all is buzzing.

Wiser heads than mine suggest it will be a bumblebee. I haven't had time yet to sit and watch to see what comes out. Looking at all the pics of beepol nests, they seem so big compared to my birdbox. Do you think she is building a nest in there and if she is, will there be enough room?

[BigShot]

It's my understanding that when bees look for a new nest they consider size, so "probably".
Either way I wouldn't worry, there's not a whole lot you'd be able to do anyway - other than evict.

[Lotsaveg]

I'm guessing that the Bumblebees will maintain the nest size proportionately to the size of the box. It may also be a different species to the beepol bees which are Bombus terrestris (a u d a x) [my automatic spell checker keeps changing this to 'addax' unless i put a space between each letter!!!). B. terrestris are known to build one of the biggest nests of our native bumblebee species.

Since I removed the lid of my beepol hive, the colony are now building a second story! I'll post some new pictures soon.

Saw an amazing sight yesterday when a large bumblebee, which could have been a cuckoo bee tried to get into the hive. One of the guards shot out of his hole and wrestled the invader to the floor. They were rolling about on the ground for a couple of minutes before the invader flew away and the guard returned to his post!

[Pumpkin Becki]

Our bumbles have been so active this weekend. They now fly straight out of the lodge entrance holes, they don't pause to get their barings first, and watching them come home laden with pollen is just fantastic. We had a quick peek in our lodge yesterday, but left it til the sun had gone down and the hive had gone quiet for the night.

[mothhawk]

I can't afford to buy one of those very attractive bumblebee nests, but I do have several clay flowerpots, which I'm going to convert after finding this DIY picture for bumblebee nest making.