Poorly bumble bees

[Headfry]

If you should happen upon a bumble bee that seems exhausted,
mix a little icing sugar and water to make a sugar syrup. Put a little drop in front of lovely little bumble, it hopefully will take some. Its what we do for our hive bees (feeding syrup) so it should help the lovely bumble bees in this awful weather.
might work even for hover flies too. watch for wasps though but as wasps are in the last few weeks of their lives I don't begrudge even them in this wild weather

[di]

I didn't catch the whole story but there was something on our local news about an outbreak of some Bee mite parasite?Like I say I didn't catch the whole story or things to do to prevent but may be worth looking into?

[Headfry]

Varroa mite ? !!!!! and double this is one we know about but I really hope there is not another nasty for us bee keepers to worry about!

my poor girls.

will have a hunt around, thanks for tip off.

[di]

OOh I feel all bad now that I've got you worried!Sorry!~not intended!Hopefully it's something you can take preventitive measures over?

[HeyWayne]

Saw something on The One Show last night - the first bumble bee sanctuary, within an RSPC reserve and they had a dog that was trained to sniff out bumble bee nests. He and his owner hunted them so that they could monitor the nests/movements of the bees (the lady sets up cameras and alike to see what goes on). I never knew that bumblers nested underground!

The dog had "sniffed out" about 80 nests thus far and had yet to get a sting on his shnozz.

Might be on iPlayer HF if you wanted to watch.

[Tam]

It was actually the RSPB reserve at Vane Farm in Fife.

[Headfry]

Hi HW saw it last night.....loved the dog!
Thanks though.