I have a Ligularia which is in full flower and it has loads of bees on it every day which is lovely, but sometimes they do look as if they're resting/sleeping. Hope they're not having their Last Supper....
Have a huge buddleia just bursting into flower so I'm hoping to see lots of activity there now.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
i also have had lots of dead bees on the ground.. very worried about.. and also have had hundreds of large bumblebees also in the garden.. in fact it is only them i have seen on my runner bean plants..
thou i did see a honey bee today seem to be covred allover in white fur.. not seen one like that before..
Was,nt it some kind of mite that was infesting Bumble Bees?
I am sure there was a programme on about it recently and it showed a mite that could be seen under a magnifying glass on the underside of the bee which had killed it.
I've just watched some of that programme Gilly but I thought it was mainly honey bees that were infected. Will watch it again. There's been lots of posts here recently about 'sleepy' looking bees beside or on different plants. Hope this isn't the effects of these damn chemical pesticides kicking in.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Honey bees do die if their hive is infested with varroa mites. Varroa mites suck the "blood" of the bees.
I think that the mites which can sometimes be seen on bumblebees (often in large numbers) are phoretic mites. Phoretic mites use the bumblebees to transport them to another place and do not harm the bumblebees. There is even a theory that the mites clean the bumblebees during the journey.
There may be other, parasitic, mites which do kill the bumblebees but the sleepy ones that I have seen have no mites on them at all.
All very odd as you say wb. You're right - Varroa mites are the ones- couldn't recall the name. I have loads of different bees in the garden now with the buddleia bursting into bloom so I'll keep an eye out to see if I can spot any changes in behaviour or any deaths.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I know they don't live long, just a matter of weeks. Do you think that they could all have been born during a very productive period for the queen bumblebee (in the recent hot weather) and have all reached the end of their normal lifespan at the same time?
I thinkthat's extremely likely wb. I was watching a vid on youtube last night (stupidly I can't find it again to pass on), a bumble bee study. The bees that go foraging only have a few weeks of life.
I think it's the time of year when the bumble bee colonies are dying and it's only the queen that survives and hibernates over the winter. Once again, I'm not certain but I believe she will already have her eggs ready for laying next year and starting another colony. I don't like to see them dead or dying but at this time of the year there isn't a lot we can do. Earlier on in the year when they got a bit sluggish from cold or rain they appreciated a warm hand and a drink of water sugary water. I have read not to give them honey as it could possibly spread some diseases from area to area. But sugar does the trick. Will certainly miss watching them in the garden. Roll on spring!
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I have a Ligularia which is in full flower and it has loads of bees on it every day which is lovely, but sometimes they do look as if they're resting/sleeping. Hope they're not having their Last Supper....
Have a huge buddleia just bursting into flower so I'm hoping to see lots of activity there now.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
i also have had lots of dead bees on the ground.. very worried about.. and also have had hundreds of large bumblebees also in the garden.. in fact it is only them i have seen on my runner bean plants..
thou i did see a honey bee today seem to be covred allover in white fur.. not seen one like that before..
Was,nt it some kind of mite that was infesting Bumble Bees?
I am sure there was a programme on about it recently and it showed a mite that could be seen under a magnifying glass on the underside of the bee which had killed it.
I've just watched some of that programme Gilly but I thought it was mainly honey bees that were infected. Will watch it again. There's been lots of posts here recently about 'sleepy' looking bees beside or on different plants. Hope this isn't the effects of these damn chemical pesticides kicking in.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You may be right Fairygirl,please let me know.
Honey bees do die if their hive is infested with varroa mites. Varroa mites suck the "blood" of the bees.
I think that the mites which can sometimes be seen on bumblebees (often in large numbers) are phoretic mites. Phoretic mites use the bumblebees to transport them to another place and do not harm the bumblebees. There is even a theory that the mites clean the bumblebees during the journey.
There may be other, parasitic, mites which do kill the bumblebees but the sleepy ones that I have seen have no mites on them at all.
It is all very odd.
All very odd as you say wb. You're right - Varroa mites are the ones- couldn't recall the name. I have loads of different bees in the garden now with the buddleia bursting into bloom so I'll keep an eye out to see if I can spot any changes in behaviour or any deaths.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yep, that looks pretty much like mine do.
I know they don't live long, just a matter of weeks. Do you think that they could all have been born during a very productive period for the queen bumblebee (in the recent hot weather) and have all reached the end of their normal lifespan at the same time?
I thinkthat's extremely likely wb. I was watching a vid on youtube last night (stupidly I can't find it again to pass on), a bumble bee study. The bees that go foraging only have a few weeks of life.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I think it's the time of year when the bumble bee colonies are dying and it's only the queen that survives and hibernates over the winter. Once again, I'm not certain but I believe she will already have her eggs ready for laying next year and starting another colony. I don't like to see them dead or dying but at this time of the year there isn't a lot we can do. Earlier on in the year when they got a bit sluggish from cold or rain they appreciated a warm hand and a drink of water sugary water. I have read not to give them honey as it could possibly spread some diseases from area to area. But sugar does the trick. Will certainly miss watching them in the garden. Roll on spring!