Bumbling the best strategy ?

[nickdub]

Over the last few lovely days there have been both bumblebees and honeybees trapped inside my new poly-tunnel.This forcibly reminded me how honeybees are drawback by instinct to constantly look for a way out at the brightest high spot of any structure, which if it is blocked by glass or plastic they can never get through, but they persist and if not released, will never get out. Bumblebees will try bright spots too, but they also wander around seemingly more or less at random some of the time and so, if there is an opening, they have a good chance of finding their own way out eventually.

So for those of us who live our human lives by rather aimless principles this "bumblebee strategy" as it could be called, perhaps is not such a bad one after all.

[Chestnut]

Sounds like you need to install a little ‘chimney’ at the top, made from totally translucent material...

[nickdub]

Sounds like you need to install a little ‘chimney’ at the top, made from totally translucent material...

I do have an opening at the top at the southern end, which is a not very tight vent - the problem is that honeybees will only find this around mid-day when the sun is in the "right " position for them to zoom in on it. In the mornings and evenings with the sun on the sides of the tunnel I'd need to put holes in the curved roof, which is impracticable.

[Nicos]

I spent ages yesterday trying to encourage a huuuge bumble bee (witha lovely fluffy white bum I hasten to add!) out of the kitchen...it kept flying around the wrong side of the glass in the door...eventually it buzzed off on it's merry way....

[Nicos]

Here's a nice link to the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust for anyone interested....
https://www.bumblebeeconservation.or...fication-tips/

[nickdub]

I spent ages yesterday trying to encourage a huuuge bumble bee (witha lovely fluffy white bum I hasten to add!) out of the kitchen...it kept flying around the wrong side of the glass in the door...eventually it buzzed off on it's merry way....

The very big ones at this time of year are almost always Queens - she'll be off starting up her new realm now hopefully. :-)

[Thelma Sanders]

There seem to be a lot about but not many flowers open for them to feed on All I've got in my garden is a patch of primroses, everything else is way behind.

[nickdub]

forage is a bit thin on the ground for nectar plants - plenty of pollen. I'm feeding syrup to my bees.

Never mind the dandelions will be out soon, and my gooseberries have flower buds on them.

[Snoop Puss]

Excellent link, Nicos. Thanks.

[muck lover]

I put this bug house up near my polytunnel last year to try to encourage pollinating insects. But they didn’t use it. It faces west. Should I move it to face south?

[nickdub]

I'm no expert on this, but somewhere with a bit more cover is my first thought, as the current site looks exposed - under the eaves of a shed for example.

[bikermike]

I made one, and when I looked into it, the key things were dampness (avoiding thereof) and not being to easy for predators to get to.

I must get mine out to allow the hibernators to come out.

[Madasafish]

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I put this bug house up near my polytunnel last year to try to encourage pollinating insects. But they didn’t use it. It faces west. Should I move it to face south?

If it faces South, insects will cook in midday sun. Mine faces East - and was occupied last year (much to the delight of woodpeckers:-(

[veggiechicken]

There's a honeybee in my GH - and has been there for 3 days on the same flowering head of pak choi. Her pollen sacs are stuffed full with pollen, and on Day 1 she was really busy gathering pollen. Day 2 she slowed up and Day 3 she hasn't moved as far as I can tell.
I'm hoping that the weather will warm up and she'll start moving about again.
Is there anything I can do??

[nickdub]

I get cold bees a lot at this time of year, particularly near water. I put them in a plastic box with a tight lid and pop them on a radiator for 10 minutes. When releasing make sure you have the lid opening facing away from you.