Honey bees nesting in garden
 

On Thu, 15 May 2003 09:37:53 +0200, Tim
wrote:

On Wed, 14 May 2003 23:39:16 +0100, Mary Fisher
wrote:




"Tim" wrote in message
news:opro3118ltwxhha1@localhost...
On 12 May 2003 13:03:06 -0700, Pickle wrote:

I have a thick slice of tree trunk that I drilled with various sized
holes.
It's full of bees from bumble-bees

Bumble bees build nests, they don't utilise holes like these.
Mary

Perhaps they have freinds they're visiting then. ;-)
I must add this is in Austria, I'm afraid. Maybe there are some local
species here that utilise holes that aren't found in the UK.
Tim.


....Or maybe there'a a hollow in the log I'm using - it's probably big
enough, but I didn't think there was one. They're certaily buzzing around
there and entering some of the holes for quite a while, much longer than
I'd expect if they were just investigating.
Tim.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article ,
Mary Fisher wrote:

We have them, we go barefoot all summer, and have been stung at most
7 times in 25 years (that's for 4 people). In every case, because
we trod on one - and then it happened only when we let the white
clover flower. My sympathy was with the bees, except for my wife who
reacts badly.

Nick, I suggest that you were stung by honey bees working the clover.

I am capable of telling a honey bee from a bumble bee, you know, though
I can't guarantee much more than that!

On at least two occasions, the bee was slightly bruised (once under my
foot arch and once when I weeded something it was on, and I got a
positive identification). Not a honey bee, and probably a buff rumped
bumble bee (which I think can sting) - if not, something that looks
like one.

You are right that honey bees sting more readily (though rarely, even
then), but there have been many years when they have been EXTREMELY
rare here (varroa) and bumble bees have outnumbered them ten to one
or more.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article ,
Kay Easton wrote:

Do/can mason bees sting? What are the bees in the holes in the ground?

In my garden, bumble bees of sorts - I think buff rumped.

Where do bumble bees nest? Why do you think Nick was stung by a honey
bee after the clover?

In a huge number of locations, such as under a pile of leaves and in
the ground. They make a small nest of moss/grass etc., at least here.

Generally, if you get stung on clover, it will be by a honey bee.
They sting more readily (but are still reluctant) and are usually
more common. Where varroa and the lack of beekepers has hit very
hard, they can be quite rare, though. There have been a couple of
years where I have seen none in my garden, whereas 15 years ago
they hid marjoram so that you couldn't see the flowers!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Mary Fisher wrote:

We have them, we go barefoot all summer, and have been stung at most
7 times in 25 years (that's for 4 people). In every case, because
we trod on one - and then it happened only when we let the white
clover flower. My sympathy was with the bees, except for my wife who
reacts badly.

Nick, I suggest that you were stung by honey bees working the clover.

I am capable of telling a honey bee from a bumble bee, you know, though
I can't guarantee much more than that!

Oh, sorry, I thought the thread was about miner bees, which aren't all that
dissimilar to honey bees. Bumble bees are VERY different from both. And a
bumble bee CAN sting but you have to provoke it severely.

Mary

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article ,
Mary Fisher wrote:

Oh, sorry, I thought the thread was about miner bees, which aren't all that
dissimilar to honey bees. Bumble bees are VERY different from both. And a
bumble bee CAN sting but you have to provoke it severely.

Ah, I see. Yes, I quite agree. As I said, the ones that stung me
were very severely provoked indeed. I have often squeezed them lightly
when weeding, and they hum loudly but don't sting.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Mary Fisher
writes

Huh?

Mary - can you expand on your grunts? ;-)

Will do tomorrow. Just back from Midnight's Children and still can't think
....

Mary

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

Information on the red mason bee's habits can bee :) found here.

http://fp.oxbeeco.f9.co.uk/osmia_rufa.htm

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article ,
Kay Easton wrote:

Do/can mason bees sting? What are the bees in the holes in the ground?

In my garden, bumble bees of sorts - I think buff rumped.

Where do bumble bees nest? Why do you think Nick was stung by a honey
bee after the clover?

In a huge number of locations, such as under a pile of leaves and in
the ground. They make a small nest of moss/grass etc., at least here.

Generally, if you get stung on clover, it will be by a honey bee.
They sting more readily (but are still reluctant) and are usually
more common. Where varroa and the lack of beekepers has hit very
hard, they can be quite rare, though. There have been a couple of
years where I have seen none in my garden, whereas 15 years ago
they hid marjoram so that you couldn't see the flowers!


Interesting article on BBC Breakfast News this morning asking gardeners
to restrict their use of pesticides because of the effect it is having
on bees. Ok no problem with that. However the reason we are being asked
to be careful is because less bees means less pollination of commercial
crops. And who exactly are the biggest users of pesticides then ?!!!!
--
Paul Flackett

Remove _bra to reply by e-mail.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article , Victor Meldrew
writes
Interesting article on BBC Breakfast News this morning asking gardeners
to restrict their use of pesticides because of the effect it is having
on bees. Ok no problem with that. However the reason we are being asked
to be careful is because less bees means less pollination of commercial
crops. And who exactly are the biggest users of pesticides then ?!!!!

By law the farmer has to inform the beekeeper 24 hours in advance of his
intention to spray. If he does not do so, and the bees are damaged, the
beekeeper should collect a sample of 30 dead bees in a cardboard (not
plastic) container and send it to the Central Science Laboratories at
Sheriff Hutton. If it is found to be insecticide spray the Ministry men
will be down on the farmer like a ton of bricks - they know the
importance of bees.

John
--
E-mail bouncing? Make sure your mailer is set to 'plain text' and not 'html'.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

Huh?

Mary - can you expand on your grunts? ;-)

Sorry. I can't remember why I grunted, I probably didn't understand what was
being said.

Do/can mason bees sting?

No. They have no stings, only ovipositors. Stings are modified ovipositors.

What are the bees in the holes in the ground?

Probably what's commonly called miner bees - but there are several types of
solitary insect which burrow in the ground.

Although they're called solitary, because they don't live in large colonies
and each female lays her own eggs (unlike honey and bumble bees), their
nesting holes are often found clutered together. That's because (I believe)
the situation is favourable - the right kind of soil, shelter etc. They're
fascinating creatures.

Are they the same as the ones that will nest in holes drilled in logs?

No, but very similar. Every insect is programmed to lay eggs in different
places - they can't swap over. Some excavate holes in the ground, some (like
the leaf cutter bee which lines its nest with bits of leaves) makes nests in
holes in logs or tree trunks - or clusters of artificially supplied tubes.
These are supplied in their millions in Canada for the alfalfa leaf cutter
bees which are reared specially to pollinate the lucerne. Mason bees
excavate mortar or soft stonework and utilise mud to seal their nests when
laying has finished. They all use different materials for their 'nests' but
have similar life cycles.

Where do bumble bees nest?

In sheltered places, underground (utilising existing holes), in compost
heaps, I once found one in a hedge, in boxes supplied by Man, in any
suitable and accessible cavity. They're what we call semi-social, living in
colonies but only small ones which are occupied for a short time - depending
on the type of bumble bee. Honey bees are social, they live in large
colonies which survive the winter and only perish through disease,
starvation (unusual) or accident.

Why do you think Nick was stung by a honey
bee after the clover?

Because he couldn't be stung by a solitary bee and honey bees work white
clover avidly. They're no problem at all when foraging unless they're
integrity is threated - e.g. by being trodden on - when they'll attempt to
defend themselves. Normally they'll only sting to defend brood, which is why
beekeepers are stung more than non-beekeepers and it's another reason why
swarming bees aren't in stinging mode - they have no brood to protect.

Enough?

Sorry to take my time on this, I have a lot of mail catching up to do. We'd
been to see Midnight's Children and it numbed the mind for quite a time ...

Mary

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article , Mary Fisher
writes


Where do bumble bees nest?

In sheltered places, underground (utilising existing holes), in compost
heaps, I once found one in a hedge, in boxes supplied by Man, in any
suitable and accessible cavity. They're what we call semi-social, living in
colonies but only small ones which are occupied for a short time - depending
on the type of bumble bee. Honey bees are social, they live in large
colonies which survive the winter and only perish through disease,
starvation (unusual) or accident.

We were poking around a marshy pond, and came across a heap of moss with
a hole in it, which had 3 or 4 bumble bees coming in and out. It was
well above the water line, but still the overall area looked soggy. It
looked awfully like a nest - could it have been?



Enough?

Yes, thanks :-)

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

In article ,
Kay Easton wrote:
In article , Mary Fisher
writes

Where do bumble bees nest?

In sheltered places, underground (utilising existing holes), in compost
heaps, I once found one in a hedge, in boxes supplied by Man, in any
suitable and accessible cavity. They're what we call semi-social, living in
colonies but only small ones which are occupied for a short time - depending
on the type of bumble bee. Honey bees are social, they live in large
colonies which survive the winter and only perish through disease,
starvation (unusual) or accident.

We were poking around a marshy pond, and came across a heap of moss with
a hole in it, which had 3 or 4 bumble bees coming in and out. It was
well above the water line, but still the overall area looked soggy. It
looked awfully like a nest - could it have been?

Yes. I don't know how much damp they are prepared to tolerate, but
that is a typical description of a bumble bee nest.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Honey bees nesting in garden
 

We were poking around a marshy pond, and came across a heap of moss with
a hole in it, which had 3 or 4 bumble bees coming in and out. It was
well above the water line, but still the overall area looked soggy. It
looked awfully like a nest - could it have been?

Yes. I don't know how much damp they are prepared to tolerate, but
that is a typical description of a bumble bee nest.

Yes. They're lovely things, especially the ones made with moss. Often
spherical, at other times open like a bird's nest.

Mary


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.