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Old 10-07-2005, 02:03 PM
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Posts: 93
Default OT - drunken bee?

Is it a myth that bees get drunk on nectar? Yesterday I was sitting in the garden when I saw a big fat bee fall out of a foxglove flower, hit a leaf and roll down the middle before falling off the end. I also find them staggering about in the beds, falling on their backs, waving their fuzzy little legs in the air, buzzing furiously. Are they really drunk? And if so, what does the queen say when they finally make it home at three in the morning, singing bee shanties?

Bob
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Old 15-07-2005, 05:45 PM
Totty
 
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Shirl wrote:
Is it a myth that bees get drunk on nectar? Yesterday I was sitting in
the garden when I saw a big fat bee fall out of a foxglove flower, hit
a leaf and roll down the middle before falling off the end. I also find
them staggering about in the beds, falling on their backs, waving their
fuzzy little legs in the air, buzzing furiously. Are they really drunk?
And if so, what does the queen say when they finally make it home at
three in the morning, singing bee shanties?

Bob


I have also heard that bees get "drunk" on nectar. Apparently, whilst
they are on the backs kicking their legs around, , you can tickle
their tummys!


I often wonder if it is just an overload of pollen in their leg sacs
preventing take-off!

--
Jo

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Old 17-07-2005, 11:53 AM
Jaques d'Alltrades
 
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The message .com
from "Totty" contains these words:

I have also heard that bees get "drunk" on nectar. Apparently, whilst
they are on the backs kicking their legs around, , you can tickle
their tummys!


I often wonder if it is just an overload of pollen in their leg sacs
preventing take-off!


Oh, I always thought those were buoyancy bags for young bees, in case
they fell in the water butt...

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/
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Old 17-07-2005, 04:16 PM
Totty
 
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Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
The message .com
from "Totty" contains these words:

I have also heard that bees get "drunk" on nectar. Apparently, whilst
they are on the backs kicking their legs around, , you can tickle
their tummys!


I often wonder if it is just an overload of pollen in their leg sacs
preventing take-off!


Oh, I always thought those were buoyancy bags for young bees, in case
they fell in the water butt...

--

Now you're pollen my leg!

--
Jo

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Old 17-07-2005, 05:33 PM
Jaques d'Alltrades
 
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The message .com
from "Totty" contains these words:
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
The message .com
from "Totty" contains these words:

I have also heard that bees get "drunk" on nectar. Apparently, whilst
they are on the backs kicking their legs around, , you can tickle
their tummys!


I often wonder if it is just an overload of pollen in their leg sacs
preventing take-off!


Oh, I always thought those were buoyancy bags for young bees, in case
they fell in the water butt...


Now you're pollen my leg!


I'll have to try harder to wax eloquent.

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/


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Old 18-07-2005, 02:26 PM
Mike Lyle
 
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Totty wrote:
Mike Lyle wrote:
Sacha wrote:
On 17/7/05 17:33, in article
, "Jaques

d'Alltrades"
wrote:
The message

.com
from "Totty" contains these words:
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
The message

.com
from "Totty" contains these words:
I have also heard that bees get "drunk" on nectar.

Apparently,
whilst they are on the backs kicking their legs around, ,

you
can tickle their tummys!
I often wonder if it is just an overload of pollen in their

leg
sacs preventing take-off!
Oh, I always thought those were buoyancy bags for young bees,

in
case they fell in the water butt...
Now you're pollen my leg!
I'll have to try harder to wax eloquent.
Oh no - that'll polish us off.


You'll all go on taking the pistil you run out of ideas.

OT (Huh!) Yesterday's Guardian had a recipe which demanded "bee
pollen".

Available in jars in most Spanish supermarkets and corner
shops...seems to be a profitable side-line of the local honey
producers' symbiotic relationship between apiarists and fruit
growers. A relationship that is now breaking down because of the
general public's wish for pipless citrus fruit. Apiarists can no
longer site their hives in certain areas.


And, of course, in Spain some seem to think that Pepsi-Cola
encourages digestion "because it contains pepsin". I'd love to see
somebody swallow a glass of soft-drink delicately flavoured with
somebody else's digestive juices, that's all I can say.

I'd also like to see the digestive tract which could break down
pollen (actually, I take that back: I wouldn't).

My unexpressed mockery, however, was mainly aimed at the idea that
there could be such a thing as bee pollen.

--
Mike.


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Old 18-07-2005, 03:51 PM
Totty
 
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Mike Lyle wrote:

And, of course, in Spain some seem to think that Pepsi-Cola
encourages digestion "because it contains pepsin". I'd love to see
somebody swallow a glass of soft-drink delicately flavoured with
somebody else's digestive juices, that's all I can say.


2 litres of Pepsi is the favoured septic tank starter around here..

I'd also like to see the digestive tract which could break down
pollen (actually, I take that back: I wouldn't).


Is pollen hard to digest? Amino acids, carbohydrate and trace minerals
do sound a fairly inoccuous mixture.

My unexpressed mockery, however, was mainly aimed at the idea that
there could be such a thing as bee pollen.

Pedantic (I love pedants) point taken :0), but it surely distinguishes
pollen bee-handled into those dinky little bags that survive being
packed into 250gm jars at =803.50 a throw, from pollen lovingly
collected from flowers by someone with a dolls house sized dustpan and
brush....I wonder what those leg sacs are made of? Do they contain the
elixir of life...?

--
Jo

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