On Jul 13, 11:48*pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"Sue" wrote in message

o.uk...



"Sheila" wrote
"aquachimp" wrote
[...] You see, we get told bees like this and that and I know they
really get a buzz out of lavender, but it's interesting to see them
go for something not as well promoted as being bee fodder

My light lilac Hebe's are full of them at the moment,

Just a week or two ago the Euonymous (I think it's 'Silver Queen'), that
climbs up against a south facing wall near our patio, was absolutely
heaving with honey bees and small bumble bees all the while it was
flowering. I hadn't previously thought of the shrub as a bee plant.

It was very good to hear the gentle buzzing in the background as, like
many people, we've noticed distinctly fewer honey-bees in the garden in
recent years.

Went and checked this morning, just to see what was happening.

The hoverflies and bumbles were all over the hebe, the honey bees [very
small ones] were on the buddleia.

--
Kathy

It's pointless to try and discuss ethics with a spider.

Last week, on a different site, the bees were hardly bothered with the
lavender, choosing instead a plant that I don't know, but looks like a
giant chive / ornamental onion.
Earlier in the day they weren't exactly swarming over that one either.
My colleague suggested that perhaps they start off in the morning with
one plants and then move onto others for 'dessert'. I've no idea if
they do that.
I wondered might they be inclined to respond to herd mentality, i.e.
might that the reason the lavender were being largely ignored be that
the chives were the new 'in-place' to bee.

And then I wondered if just like those pests that can be deterred by
hiding sight of the ground/soil, might bees also be affected by
companion planting or some such.

And then it occurred to me to wonder if, just like humans, do bees
have a circadian rhythm and if so might their hives benefit from some
decent sound-proofing so that they can get a decent sleep to help
combat some of the issues they are encountering?