"mark" wrote

There is a 'Citizen Science Project' being undertaken by the University
of Sussex.
It came to my attention via the Waitrose mag.


If you have a gadget that feeds on apps you can take part. The app is
called Bee Friendly. I've just got it and is easy to use.
The idea is to understand the main pollinating insects and what flowers
they prefer (something like that!)
It ties in with Phil Gurr's post and we will find out if bumble bees are
doing all the work and honey bees are lazy gits.

I've been doing my bit and have only seen bumble bees, one hover fly and no
honey bees in my initial survey.

http://www.earthwatch.org/europe/new...arden-app.html


Unfortunately I don't use such a phone but I've noticed there appears to be
a lot of bumblebees about this year such that I had to stop empting one of
our large compost bins because I found myself surrounded by them, they are
nesting in there and I have no wish to disturb them. At home our Geranium
palmatums are constantly being visited by bumbles as are the chives on the
allotment. I believe that the local vicarage still has hives tended by a
local young lad but I've not seen any honey bees in our garden this year.
Other years they have used our pond as a source of water so a constant
stream of bees coming and going in warm weather.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Tuesday, June 25, 2013 5:38:41 PM UTC+1, Bob Hobden wrote:
a lot of bumblebees about this year such that I had to stop empting one of

our large compost bins because I found myself surrounded by them, they are

nesting in there and I have no wish to disturb them. At home our Geranium

palmatums are constantly being visited by bumbles as are the chives on the

allotment. I believe that the local vicarage still has hives tended by a

local young lad but I've not seen any honey bees in our garden this year.

Other years they have used our pond as a source of water so a constant

stream of bees coming and going in warm weather.

--

Regards. Bob Hobden.

Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Don't know about your neck of the woods but the honeybees here are still busy on the last of the rape.

Rod

"Rod" wrote in message
...

Don't know about your neck of the woods but the honeybees here are still
busy on the last of the rape.

Exactly so. Honeybees are great opportunists and will go for
maximum return/minimum effort. Civilisation could probably
survive without rape oil and almonds but I think we owe
much more to our bumblebees.

Phil

Where we are (Yorks, 400ft above sea level) we haven't got much of anything! Bumblebees, but not in huge quantity - however, it's only the last two weeks we've seen anything other than queens. And the beautiful slightly flat bodied golden honey coloured hoverflies aren't around yet. We're unning 3-5 weeks late this year - in the Dales today bluebells were still in flower.