one for Nick maybe?
We've got a swarm of bumble bees(well lots anyway) flying around close to our gutter adjacent to the bay window. About 20 feet away our next door neighbour has exactly the same thing going on under their gutter.
I've never seen a swarm of bumblies before, and didn't even know such a thing existed.
I haven't done anything with bees since I was at school when a chum had a couple of hives, but the idea occurred that if their are 2 bunches of bees then wouldn't there be 2 queens? and do bumblies ever live in colonies with queens...oh much to learn there is.
edit: sorted...I should have googled it before posting....
seems they are all males flying around a small nest waiting for a queen to emerge, in the hope that they'll get lucky. Just surprising that we've got a nest and so have next door, bothe busy at the same time. The bee site I read said that its the bee equivalent of a nightclub.....There are signs up in our adjacent road saying 'when exiting the club please don't disturb the residents'
bees
#1 bees
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
-
- Thermionic Monk Status
- Posts: 5647
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 11:22 am
- Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire
#2 Re: bees
We noticed a bumble bee nest two days ago high up on the gable end where the wire comes through for the security light.
We had one last year above the bedroom window. The buzzing was a bit annoying, but they disappeared around July IIRC.
I presume they don't do any harm.
We had one last year above the bedroom window. The buzzing was a bit annoying, but they disappeared around July IIRC.
I presume they don't do any harm.
- Mike H
- Amstrad Tower of Power
- Posts: 20189
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:38 pm
- Location: The Fens
- Contact:
#4 Re: bees
Didn't think there were more than about a half dozen or so in a bumble bee nest?
Did get a nest in our nest box when I lived in Laindon, only lasted about 3 months I think, quite liked it tho made a change from bluetits! Which hadn't used it for a while.
Did get a nest in our nest box when I lived in Laindon, only lasted about 3 months I think, quite liked it tho made a change from bluetits! Which hadn't used it for a while.
"No matter how fast light travels it finds that the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."
- jack
- Thermionic Monk Status
- Posts: 5503
- Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 8:58 pm
- Location: ɐılɐɹʇsnɐ oʇ ƃuıʌoɯ ƃuıɹǝpısuoɔ
- Contact:
#5 Re: bees
There are about 250 types of bumblebees and some can have up to 400 or so bees in their colonies...
Vivitur ingenio, caetera mortis erunt
- pre65
- Amstrad Tower of Power
- Posts: 21400
- Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:13 pm
- Location: North Essex/Suffolk border.
#6 Re: bees
Just seen this re the Asian Hornet, Bees beware.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
- jack
- Thermionic Monk Status
- Posts: 5503
- Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 8:58 pm
- Location: ɐılɐɹʇsnɐ oʇ ƃuıʌoɯ ƃuıɹǝpısuoɔ
- Contact:
#7 Re: bees
UK beekeepers have been on the lookout for these for a few years. None around me, but there have been sightings in UK. BBC late to the party but the publicity is welcome.
Bottom line is that they will be here in numbers and they aren't nice.
I have pheremone-bated hornet traps round my hives...
PS. Ordinary European hornets eat bees too, and can destroy a colony (as can ordinary wasps).
Vivitur ingenio, caetera mortis erunt
- Mike H
- Amstrad Tower of Power
- Posts: 20189
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:38 pm
- Location: The Fens
- Contact:
#8 Re: bees
That's told me then!
"No matter how fast light travels it finds that the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."
- jack
- Thermionic Monk Status
- Posts: 5503
- Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 8:58 pm
- Location: ɐılɐɹʇsnɐ oʇ ƃuıʌoɯ ƃuıɹǝpısuoɔ
- Contact:
#9 Re: bees
We have quite a few bumblebee nests in the garden, plus one in the garage we recently cleared out (mentioned in another thread). Whilst up in the loft of that garage, my youngest disturbed the nest (it was inside a PAR stage light up there) and he got stung.
That's the first time I've ever seen someone get stung by a bumblebee...
Vivitur ingenio, caetera mortis erunt