Bees

[Finsky]

Or by going on BBKA website (British beekeepers association) where one can find out how to get in touch with somebody who does collect swarms...
Not many places have 'local police' anymore as the areas are merged together...so details do get lost or are being ignored.

@Finsky, that's quite a story! Thanks for sharing.

You are welcome and I enjoyed remembering it all too. Oh, I could write a story book about beekeeping.....absolutely all sorts can happen when people and bees 'mix' I save some for another suitable opportunity as I don't want to bore folks with them and turn dog site into beekeeping one
Oh, can't help it...some stories are starting to spill out..let's just say....one of the places where I was contracted to keep bees was on that particular shopping centre roof, but when your only access to the area is using lifts and walking through their offices...doing annual honey harvest when carrying sections of hives that are dripping with honey and accompanied with some not so friendly bees too (they don't take robbing honey very kindly)....things do get rather 'interesting'......

 

[JudyN]

The man two doors down who has hives did have to get rid of a rather feisty queen a few years back. On one occasion a bee chased Jasper round the garden and when he ran indoors it followed him, I went to rescue him and the bee transferred its attentions to me and just wouldn't leave me alone. In the end I couldn't keep my cool any more and swatted it away from me, and it stung me. From what I can gather, though, this is an extremely unusual event.

Maybe I should have mentioned yesterday's swarm to the neighbour, but I've no idea where they went.

 

[Finsky]

The man two doors down who has hives did have to get rid of a rather feisty queen a few years back. On one occasion a bee chased Jasper round the garden and when he ran indoors it followed him, I went to rescue him and the bee transferred its attentions to me and just wouldn't leave me alone. In the end I couldn't keep my cool any more and swatted it away from me, and it stung me. From what I can gather, though, this is an extremely unusual event.
Maybe I should have mentioned yesterday's swarm to the neighbour, but I've no idea where they went.

Sometimes you do get colony that are bit more feisty and their guard bees can even come to 'meet' you....and as you experienced, follow you with determination. In such cases the queen change can remedy the situation...though it is not a instant solution for the problem. It is 'funny' how one teeny little insect can be so intimidating with its teeny weeny sting Poor Jasper...and you of course too.

If it was your neighbour's swarm..it is too late to inform once they have gone as they rarely do stay in close proximity to the old hive for a long and to report is only useful if the swarm is actually clustering somewhere to be fetched away. I'm sure the beekeeper will notice some of his bees are missing next time he does the inspection.

 

[Finsky]

I had never heard of that

That is kind of 'beekeepers rule' about swarms. For catching a swarm and to benefit from the find, it is best for the swarm being housed as early in the season as possible so that it has enough time during summer season to build up to big enough colony for over wintering (for keeping). After July lot of native nectar sources become sparse and reduction for the nectar flow will slow down the rate the queen will lay eggs. Those late season eggs will turn into 'winter bees' and will carry on the colony over winter months.

I'm bleeding rattling again.......but bees are so interesting little things...

 

[Inka]

I'm bleeding rattling again.......but bees are so interesting little things...

... they are!..........and it is lovely to learn more about these bizzy little beings...........

 

[Hemlock]

It's really interesting - rattle away!

Friend of mine, while clearing some scrub on her land, found an ancient falling-to-bits hive that was still inhabited. She joined a beekeeping group, went on courses, bought a new hive, kitted out in all the gear, loved everything about it. After two years of beekeeping, she became allergic to stings, so had to rehome her bees. Very sad because she enjoyed them so much.

 

[JudyN]

Mr N spotted someone walking past the house in beekeeping gear yesterday - I suspect that was our neighbour bringing his bees back home again. I wonder whose garden they'd taken up residence in?

 

[JoanneF]

My bee hasn't moved since yesterday afternoon. I don't even know if he is alive. Will he be suffering? Would it be kinder to make the end quick (if it hasn't happened)?

 

[Hemlock]

I would.

 

[JoanneF]

I would.

Thanks. Done.

 

[Finsky]

Thanks. Done.

Thanks. Done.

Your bee might not have had any unwanted pests in it causing its decline...bees do have 'expiry date' and you might have been a witness to see it entering bee heaven for that reason. Dying bees do go into very slow crawling pace near their end....they don't 'drop off' from the sky as flying is only for a fit and healthy. Another reason to witness slow movement crawling is that if the bee haven't got into safe hiding place when the cold weather takes hold of its body. Although bumblebees are capable to function at lower temperatures than honey bees, prolonged lower then average summer temps can bring them close to hibernations mode. But don't feel bad for your bee....even we've had some fresher temperatures lately and even if that would have been reason for your bee to go 'quiet'...not been able to go into secure place to rest means it would have sooner or later to become a feast for our weathered friends. It is the way of nature....not cruel, just the way it is..

 

[Finsky]

Your bee might not have had any unwanted pests in it causing its decline...bees do have 'expiry date' and you might have been a witness to see it entering bee heaven for that reason. Dying bees do go into very slow crawling pace near their end....they don't 'drop off' from the sky as flying is only for a fit and healthy. Another reason to witness slow movement crawling is that if the bee haven't got into safe hiding place when the cold weather takes hold of its body. Although bumblebees are capable to function at lower temperatures than honey bees, prolonged lower then average summer temps can bring them close to hibernations mode. But don't feel bad for your bee....even we've had some fresher temperatures lately and even if that would have been reason for your bee to go 'quiet'...not been able to go into secure place to rest means it would have sooner or later to become a feast for our weathered friends. It is the way of nature....not cruel, just the way it is..

Oh and to add....no it was not suffering. Staying motionless so long...either it was already dead or gone into 'hibernation mode' and that means its body is close to closing down state anyway. When they go like that during summer season...holding such a bee close to your mouth and 'bathing' it with warm air from your mouth will soon make is show some movement. It is quite safe to do so as coming out of such a energy saving mode is slow motion....they start with tiniest movements of their legs and process from that to grooming their wings if they are truly waking up before they even think of taking off. I often save some that has dropped into water butt and place them on flowers to a possible energy drink before they make their own way again...

 

[JoanneF]

Thank you @Finsky. I try not to kill anything unnecessarily (spiders for example are just escorted to the garden) but this poor creature was getting worse. So it was better than see him suffer any more.

 

[JoanneF]

So, it seems our garden is quite a haven for bee drama.

Can anyone tell me what's happening here

 

[RGC]

Life was so boring before I discovered the Forum. Are they playing ‘rude’?

 

[JoanneF]

Well, I don't really know. It sort of looks like it, but I didn't think they would do it our in the open so I assumed not.

 

[RGC]

Are bumble bees of a solitary nature? I’m quite fascinated by the social structure of entomological groups, i.e. ants sending out exploratory scouts to discover food sources. This is something we experienced earlier in the spring and, once we had placed all foodstuffs in sealed containers, our morning visitors went elsewhere. Sorry, I didn’t mean to monopolise the chat. Put it down to age.

 

[JudyN]

I think all bumblebees (Bombus) are social, but there's loads of species of solitary bees, many of which don't look much like what most people think of as a bee. This is Gooden's Nomad Bee:

 

[Hemlock]

Are bumble bees of a solitary nature? I’m quite fascinated by the social structure of entomological groups, i.e. ants sending out exploratory scouts to discover food sources.

In the olden days when I was a gal, Ma would find ant nests by putting a small pile of granulated sugar down. Within minutes there would be a stream of ants leading back to the nest.

That's a pretty bee, JudyN. I bet they often get mistaken for wasps.

 

[JudyN]

That's a pretty bee, JudyN. I bet they often get mistaken for wasps.

That's probably what they intend

And then there are hoverflies that disguise themselves as bees... (this is the Dimorphic Bear Hoverfly)