Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

Hi all,
I have a newly planted cordyline in a 12" pot and noticed today very
black looking bees going in and out of the pot. I have a layer of 20mm
gravel on the top of the pot for moisture retention.
Question is will they harm the plant ?
thanks
simon

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

"Simon" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
I have a newly planted cordyline in a 12" pot and noticed today very
black looking bees going in and out of the pot. I have a layer of 20mm
gravel on the top of the pot for moisture retention.
Question is will they harm the plant ?
thanks
simon

Lift pot onto blocks.
..
..
Sit Honey Pot under.
..
..
..
..
Say "Thank you" to nature ;-))

Mike


--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
International Festival of the Sea 28th June - 1st July 2007

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

In article ,
Simon writes:
| Hi all,
| I have a newly planted cordyline in a 12" pot and noticed today very
| black looking bees going in and out of the pot. I have a layer of 20mm
| gravel on the top of the pot for moisture retention.
| Question is will they harm the plant ?

The normal answer is "no", but there is something a bit odd. Many
ground nesting, solitary or small-group bees will nest in pots, and
they can simply be ignored - though they do interfere with repotting.

But black looking bees are normally honey bees and (a) they rarely
nest in the ground and (b) only the largest pot would be big enough
for them! So, IF they are honey bees, they are almost certainly
visiting for supplies (perhaps even water).


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Simon writes:
| Hi all,
| I have a newly planted cordyline in a 12" pot and noticed today very
| black looking bees going in and out of the pot. I have a layer of 20mm
| gravel on the top of the pot for moisture retention.
| Question is will they harm the plant ?

The normal answer is "no", but there is something a bit odd. Many
ground nesting, solitary or small-group bees will nest in pots, and
they can simply be ignored - though they do interfere with repotting.

But black looking bees are normally honey bees

???

and (a) they rarely
nest in the ground and (b) only the largest pot would be big enough
for them! So, IF they are honey bees, they are almost certainly
visiting for supplies (perhaps even water).

IF they are honey bees and the compost is moist they might visit it for
water but they'd only sit on the surface to sip it.

No bees will damage the plant, whatever kind they are.

Mary


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

In article ,
"Mary Fisher" writes:
|
| But black looking bees are normally honey bees
|
| ???

Yes. In the UK, the most common black looking bee is the melanistic
form of the honey bee.

| IF they are honey bees and the compost is moist they might visit it for
| water but they'd only sit on the surface to sip it.

They might crawl through 1/2" of coarse gravel to get at it, though.

| No bees will damage the plant, whatever kind they are.

Right. Nor wasps.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Mary Fisher" writes:
|
| But black looking bees are normally honey bees
|
| ???

Yes. In the UK, the most common black looking bee is the melanistic
form of the honey bee.

Black bees are pretty rare though.

| IF they are honey bees and the compost is moist they might visit it for
| water but they'd only sit on the surface to sip it.

They might crawl through 1/2" of coarse gravel to get at it, though.

I've never seen it. They'd find something more accessible.

Mary

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

In article ,
"Mary Fisher" writes:
|
| Yes. In the UK, the most common black looking bee is the melanistic
| form of the honey bee.
|
| Black bees are pretty rare though.

But black looking ones are not! On close inspection, they are merely
a lot darker than usual, but they look blackish at a quick glance.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Bees nesting in a plant pot ?
 

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
"Mary Fisher" writes:
|
| Yes. In the UK, the most common black looking bee is the melanistic
| form of the honey bee.
|
| Black bees are pretty rare though.

But black looking ones are not! On close inspection, they are merely
a lot darker than usual, but they look blackish at a quick glance.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Thanks for the replies :) I waited until all was quiet and covered the
surface of the pot with some sharp sand, this seems to have put them off
visiting. My wife is extremely nervous about bees so it was safer for
them to put them off the pot.
simon