I saved a bee today!
Discussion
I have two large trees in a courtyard that are covered in bumblebees at this time of year and subsequently we get a lot of sleepy ones inside.
My good wife has gracefully accepted that there will be drops of sugar water all over the floorboards as I have to resuscitate several bees every day.
Also followed a huge swarm the other day (thankfully away from my house and towards the neighbour's!), a most impressive sight.
Keep up the good work.
My good wife has gracefully accepted that there will be drops of sugar water all over the floorboards as I have to resuscitate several bees every day.
Also followed a huge swarm the other day (thankfully away from my house and towards the neighbour's!), a most impressive sight.
Keep up the good work.
Good on yer!
Cool starry etc incoming...
Many years ago when I was but a nipper, my mother's current chap (who nowadays we would call an old hippy!) showed me how he could stroke a bee that was in his garden. I was an unbeliever (and possibly a tad scared of bees- definitely wasps the hateful little buggers!) and so very carefully he stroked this large bee who seemed to enjoy the experience.
The next day at school, I showed a friend just what I'd seen as he didn't believe me. Of course, I got stung! The difference was late afternoon/evening the little bee should have been at home tucked up in bed as he was sleepy and docile, while in the middle of a sunny day the bee was FAR from sleepy... or docile!
Cool starry etc incoming...
Many years ago when I was but a nipper, my mother's current chap (who nowadays we would call an old hippy!) showed me how he could stroke a bee that was in his garden. I was an unbeliever (and possibly a tad scared of bees- definitely wasps the hateful little buggers!) and so very carefully he stroked this large bee who seemed to enjoy the experience.
The next day at school, I showed a friend just what I'd seen as he didn't believe me. Of course, I got stung! The difference was late afternoon/evening the little bee should have been at home tucked up in bed as he was sleepy and docile, while in the middle of a sunny day the bee was FAR from sleepy... or docile!
rxe said:
Sorry to be the nerdy one when it comes to saving bees. Please don’t feed them honey, ever. Feed them sugary water, and if necessary warm them up in a cupped hand (safe for bumbles, honey bees with thank you the a sting).
There are a whole load of diseases spread by honey, and you have no idea at all where supermarket honey comes from. There are frequent outbreaks of American and European foul brood near honey processing plants. Foul brood is nasty - turns the hives to goop inside, and the only real answer is to burn them.
Honey jars are the only recycling that I bother to wash - bees are very good at finding honey (as you’d expect), so when you lob out your (Chinese in all likelihood) supermarket honey, you’re possibly exposing them to disease.
This is my go to Honey. Get it from Sainsbury's https://www.littleoverapiaries.com/product/english... I like it because the company is from where I grew upThere are a whole load of diseases spread by honey, and you have no idea at all where supermarket honey comes from. There are frequent outbreaks of American and European foul brood near honey processing plants. Foul brood is nasty - turns the hives to goop inside, and the only real answer is to burn them.
Honey jars are the only recycling that I bother to wash - bees are very good at finding honey (as you’d expect), so when you lob out your (Chinese in all likelihood) supermarket honey, you’re possibly exposing them to disease.
Just one of many online options to buy a ready made bee revival kit - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bee-Revival-Invertbee-ins...
Richard-390a0 said:
Just one of many online options to buy a ready made bee revival kit - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bee-Revival-Invertbee-ins...
I never knew such a thing existed!
StevieBee said:
Talking of bees....
Currently working in Albania. They have the most amazing Bees I've ever seen. Huge, completely black but with a metallic blue/green shimmer on the wings - like when oil and water mix on a black road. I'll try and grab a photo later.
You have a very appropriate user name!Currently working in Albania. They have the most amazing Bees I've ever seen. Huge, completely black but with a metallic blue/green shimmer on the wings - like when oil and water mix on a black road. I'll try and grab a photo later.
Ambleton said:
Tango13 said:
I needed to re-seed some of the borders in both gardens when I moved here a couple of years back. I googled 'best seed mix for bees and butterflies' or something similar. I've given up trying to count how many bees I get of various species, some are tiny and some could take a fully grown cow 
just looked at similar things and we have virtually all the recommended plants already well established or on the way.Some of them do rather take over, but the ground cover offered by the spreading geraniums is used extensively by frogs.
Great story OP, we've saved a few bees this year and it's a great feeling!
TR4man said:
StevieBee said:
Talking of bees....
Currently working in Albania. They have the most amazing Bees I've ever seen. Huge, completely black but with a metallic blue/green shimmer on the wings - like when oil and water mix on a black road. I'll try and grab a photo later.
You have a very appropriate user name!Currently working in Albania. They have the most amazing Bees I've ever seen. Huge, completely black but with a metallic blue/green shimmer on the wings - like when oil and water mix on a black road. I'll try and grab a photo later.
Anyway, not the greatest pic but managed to snap one. I know it looks like a beetle but is defiantly a bee. Around twice the size of a UK Bumble Bee.
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