Tweet
Counted no less than twelve huge bumbles visiting the Pieris (Forest Flame) in the garden today! Wonderful, busy bees. I'm sure I didn't see that many all YEAR last year. It's very encouraging.
-
When the Devil gives you Cowpats - make Satanic Compost!
-
had loads today up the lottie,none in the bee boxes as yet though,I suspect they are still looking for good nesting sites.had a colony in our blue tit box last year after the tits moved on.Thats why we built the boxes to encourage them as they are such good pollinators.
bee happy!don't be afraid to innovate and try new things
remember.........only the dead fish go with the flow
Another certified member of the Nutters club -
On the lottie yesterday, I observed a large Bumble land near a small hole in the bank that surrounds my plot. Waiting for him to emerge from the same place, I had to laugh when he appeard about six inches along the bank from his "back door"!. Bless his heart, his buzzing was all muffled when he was indoors. Have christened him "Walter". Don't ask....
When the Devil gives you Cowpats - make Satanic Compost!Comment
-
We've got one that's made its home in our greenhouse on the lottie. Was in there this afternoon pricking out and potting on some stuff and he/she was in and out all afternoon. Didn't realise its home was there until I was leaving. Saw it arrive, fly down to the floor and disappear. Left window open for it. Seen loads this year so hope it'll be a good year.
Anyone know how you tell a lady from a gent bumble?Comment
-
Almost all bumble bees are female. Males only exist in late summer and early autumn to fertilise next years queens. Only queens-to-be survive the winter and start a new nest each year. At the moment, those queens will be building nests. Later in the year, workers (all female) will hatch and continue the nest building while the queen starts laying more eggs to expand the colony. Later in the year, new queens and males will be produced and the cycle will repeat again next year.Originally posted by Rossa View Post.Comment
-
We have quite a bit of winter flowering heather, (one of the few plants in this garden that wasn't a 40 foot tall Leylandii), well - I think that's what it is - in flower now and covered in bumblies.
There is also some Flowering Currant that stinks like cat you-know-what but the bees seem to love it. There certainly do seem a lot about for so early.Comment
-
Jenegade posted a good link on Bumble identification on the last bumble thread a few days ago which shows how you can 'sex' bees by their antennae...Comment
Comment