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Big Bumble Bees


canalboat

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So do I, better than the wasps.

Aren't the bigger ones drones? We have plenty of dandelions  for them, a few daisies. Good to see the flowers emerging from the bog/flood in the fields.

Cows are out today, so we will have a 100,000 hole golf course by tonight. Gives us something to watch, not seen a visiting boat since the breach.

Its Very Quiet!

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22 minutes ago, canalboat said:

I am sure someone will tell me that bumble bees is not the right name but I have never seen so many large bees buzzing about. Is it all over country that they are appearing. I hope they do well.

I've rescued 3 who flew into the boat today, well its that or one who really like my boat.

Not a bee expert but I suspect they are queens looking for a nest site

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They love the smell of hot tar.
I was replacing my porch flat roof today and the number of buggers that were poking their noses in was astounding.

A blast of hot air from my heat gun confirmed they were in the wrong place.

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I "saved" one the other day. It had turned cold up here after a warmish day and a huge bumbly bee was lurching around on my garage floor and not able to fly. So I gave it some black currant jam that it, literally, lapped up and half an hour later it was gone. Mind you snow has been forcast so that kill em all off.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/uk-weather-put-away-your-sunglasses-as-snow-is-coming-back-and-temperatures-set-to-tumble/ar-AAw79fj?li=BBoPWjQ

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1 hour ago, canalboat said:

I am sure someone will tell me that bumble bees is not the right name but I have never seen so many large bees buzzing about. Is it all over country that they are appearing. I hope they do well.

It’s certainly happening round our way - Nuneaton. Seen loads recently. 

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You are probably seeing these

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-27701591

or these

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/white-tailed-bumblebee

 

The White-tailed bumblebees are our native species and are the ones which have been in decline, but the European Tree bumblebees are thriving and have dramatically increased in numbers in the last few years.

Before retiring from pest control a couple of years ago I was increasingly getting inundated with phone calls at this time of year about them nesting in house roofs. Thankfully I usually managed to persuade folk to leave them alone as they don't do any harm, they very rarely sting, and usually finish nesting in July, unlike wasps which nest until late autumn.

And for the people who did want them 'sorted' I was usually able to rescue the bees and re-locate them. There is a common misconception that it is illegal to kill bees but it isn't.

 

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2 hours ago, Grassman said:

Before retiring from pest control a couple of years ago

As you appear to have the knowledge wondering if you could answer me this. when I get one of these poking its nose through my rear door I use wasp spray to drive it away but have always wondered if this causes them any harm?

I try to use just enough to drive them  away but I have no intention of killing or harming them.

Just to add I react badly to any sort of insect bites or stings and so need to take some action to prevent these but i do appreciate the importance of bees 

Edited by reg
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21 minutes ago, reg said:

As you appear to have the knowledge wondering if you could answer me this. when I get one of these poking its nose through my rear door I use wasp spray to drive it away but have always wondered if this causes them any harm?

I try to use just enough to drive them  away but I have no intention of killing or harming them.

Just to add I react badly to any sort of insect bites or stings and so need to take some action to prevent these but i do appreciate the importance of bees 

If by wasp spray you mean shop bought spray such as "raid" then yes if it gets a sufficient dose, it's an insecticide called permethrin or similar.

 

Just to add, the bumble bees being talked about really don't want to sting you, it would take a real effort to piss one off enough for that, just push them out with a book or trap in a glass and release

Edited by tree monkey
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9 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

If by wasp spray you mean shop bought spray such as "raid" then yes if it gets a sufficient dose, it's an insecticide called permethrin or similar.

Hmm I sort of thought that but maybe subconsciously decided to not think about it too much. I try to put up a spray barrier between me and them, rather than spray them directly, but have never really been sure how much they are affected by it.

Any thoughts on a different, preferably none harming, stratagem?

https://news.un.org/en/story/2011/03/368622-humans-must-change-behaviour-save-bees-vital-food-production-un-report

Edited by reg
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11 minutes ago, reg said:

Hmm I sort of thought that but maybe subconsciously decided to not think about it too much. I try to put up a spray barrier between me and them, rather than spray them directly, but have never really been sure how much they are affected by it.

Any thoughts on a different, preferably none harming, stratagem?

https://news.un.org/en/story/2011/03/368622-humans-must-change-behaviour-save-bees-vital-food-production-un-report

Fly screens?

During mozzie season I will often spray avon skin so soft on the curtain by the front door, it seems to keep them away, so maybe try similar

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23 minutes ago, reg said:

Any thoughts on a different, preferably none harming, stratagem?

I can understand if you are allergic to stings that having a bumble bee in your home might be a bit scary but they are usually pretty non aggressive and can be shepherded out of a door or window with a sheet of paper, if left alone the will steer themselves to the bright light of a window and then you just guide them out. A bit of net curtain at your door when its open will still let in lots of air but deter most flying things.   :)

E.T.A  The trick is not to flap the bit of paper just stay calm and a bee will usually bumble and bump its way back out side. 

 

Edited by Tumshie
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To get bees and wasps out I use a long stick with a little dob of honey or jam on the end, offer it to them and they hop on, slowly carry it to the door and give the stick a little flick and away they fly. They say that Bumbles bees and pigeons can be the fastest beasties in a straight line on erf at about 90 mph.

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49 minutes ago, bizzard said:

To get bees and wasps out I use a long stick with a little dob of honey or jam on the end, offer it to them and they hop on, slowly carry it to the door and give the stick a little flick and away they fly. They say that Bumbles bees and pigeons can be the fastest beasties in a straight line on erf at about 90 mph.

Like that idea thanks, will give that a try. 

Worst I ever had was midges whilst climbing on skye, couldn't get away face full of puss and swollen lymph nodes, best I've ever looked. 

Second worst was disturbing a hornets nest whilst tying up, they decided they liked the inside of my tea shirt. Had to make  choice between letting the boat go or get stung to death, made the wrong choice and payed for it for weeks after. 

Edited by reg
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Good advice from Tree monkey and Tumshie. You can never say never but bumblebees rarely sting. Once when I had some nesting in my rockery I spent an hour weeding and tidying up right by the nest entrance and they didn't bother me at all. 

When I used to relocate the nests, usually either digging them out from the ground or removing them from under loft insulation, they used to buzz very loudly but surprisingly they were not particularly aggressive. Mind you I would wear my bee keepers suit just in case!

Many of the calls I used to get were from people who were surprised that beekeepers hadn't been interested when they'd phoned. A lot of folk don't realise that bumblebees don't produce honey.

A bit of trivia - Bumblebees are reckoned to be better pollinators than honey bees because they make more visits to plants and flowers per day and 'work' longer hours than honey bees do.

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23 minutes ago, Grassman said:

and 'work' longer hours than honey bees do.

 

Now I have an image in my head of the honey bees, all happy and whistling, clocking out nice and early with the bumblebees growling at them angrily at having to work on.

I really need to stop humanizing animals. Oh, and get out more.

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5 hours ago, tree monkey said:

Fly screens?

During mozzie season I will often spray avon skin so soft on the curtain by the front door, it seems to keep them away, so maybe try similar

Out of mozzie season it helps him keep in touch with his feminine side, backwards or not...

the best reason for voting for Brexit was so we can have our citronella stuff back.

 

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It was of course conclusively proved back in the 1930's that it is aerodynamically impossible for bumblebees to fly.

If anyone here remembers the 1930's, then they surely will agree that was true, but the little critters have learned since then!

Isn't evolution wonderful?

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3 hours ago, reg said:

 

Worst I ever had was midges whilst climbing on skye, couldn't get away face full of puss and swollen lymph nodes, best I've ever looked. 

 

Scottish midges are the worst creatures on this planet. 

Any other country would have evacuated and sprayed the entire place with DDT years ago.

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