Bumble bees bumbling!

[BarleySugar]

I finally made it into the garden this afternoon, after the rain finally gave up. As I was tidying the greenhouse I heard a really loud buzzing. On closer inspection, I found an enormous bumble bee battering at the glass. I opened the vent, and out she flew. I then realised I had about 5 busily working their way around the early flowering clematis. A cup of tea, and sitting on the bench watching them, made me feel spring was perhaps here after all.

On a sorrier note, next door has dug out and levelled their back garden, and now is laying astro turf instead of lawn. A horrible bright green, I peered over the fence to see what he had been doing! There will be no borders or any growing space, the rest is put down with paving. Last year they put decking over their front patch, and put plastic plants in pots dotted around! The only plus side was they gave me some nice terracotta planters they had bought, before they decided plants were too much trouble.

The other side has 3 large dogs, 2 are german shepherds, not sure of the other. They paved all their garden last year so they could clear up the dog poo easier. Not exactly a wildlife haven around here!

[Alice]

Glad to hear the bees are out BarleySugar. I've only seen 1 so far. We've only recently moved house and the previous owner had ideas not disimilar to your neighbours so not much of a habitat for them here at the moment. But all that will get put to rights . In my last garden I had all kinds of bees because the habitat was there for the wildlife.

[Shortie]

I've seen loads buzzing round my second lottie as it's got lots of nettles in flower at the mo. Problem is I can hear them but then have to spend ages staring at the ground to find them so that I don't tread on them

[gardenplot]

Hay nice one BarleySugar i love to see the bees working in the garden buzzing about from plant to plant, makes me smile

[Nicos]

Having planted the onions and shallots on the lottie in the pouring rain yesterday, we decided to get stuck into the garden today!
A huge bumble bee buzzed about my OH whilst he was weeding- and made his day!!
So lovely to see them about again

[areia]

i felt really bad last week as i upset a bumble bee in the ground i was digging over he/she was not happy walked off onto the grass before flying away,
Mind you for some reason i am inundated with fruit flies they are everywhere in my house, i had a kitchen composter which has been moved outside as part of process of elimination but they are everywhere i mean bathroom kitchen bedrooms ive cleaned and looked everywhere i have a lodger though hmmmmmm

[Flummery]

Big bumble bee in my veg plot this morning. Lovely! And a butterfly in our daughter's garden this aft.

[BarleySugar]

The only butterflies I saw last year were cabbage whites! As I'm not growing brassicas this year I don't suppose I'll even see them. I (or rather the garden )do seem to be able to attract all sort of bees though.

[Herbie]

We have seen several bees out in the garden, unfortunately my dog billy chases them and tries to eat them. We dont hear the bee just his jaws slamming together.

He is a bad dog! He likes to terrorise insects and spiders.

I am going to have a go at making one of those bee hotels, which I will put up above four foot high as I know he can jump that high! lol

[rustylady]

Just seen the first few bees active over the last week. Also a wasp yesterday.

[Essex Boys]

fitted bee box, blue tit & robin box on the plot all empty so far, glad your enjoying your garden

[heebiejeebie]

We have bees (bumble and another variety) and I wish I'd sowed broadies in Oct/Nov for them. They'll have to make do with the blossom on the plum trees and greengages.

[petal]

we have lots of bumblebees at the allotment. I am thinking of making some homes for them as they are lovely furry things.

[jacob marley]

I have seen Bumble Bees but i was standing down the garden the other day trying to see where a Coal Tit was building a nest it kept flying up in to a Shumach tree with a beak full of moss out of the lawn .
all the while i was there a rather large Wasp was bussing around me a Queen i presume looking for somewhere to start a colony any way never did find the Caol Tits nest site the Wasp was getting all my attention so gave up on the Coal Tit jacob