# Busy bees in the garden ---lots of them.



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Hi
I have been gardening and could hear a humming sound.
I thought it might be wasps in the roof again, but no it was all over my Garden --loads of bees busy on all my plants.
I thought there was a shortage of them, is this still true??
I have made sure there isnt a nest anywhere, I have just not seen anything like this before.
It is great to see so many.
Is this a sign of a great summer ahead??


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Bees*

Hello,

We have seen a huge number of bees around the garden this year, no wasps yet mind.

Trev


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I've seen more bees this season than the whole of last year if you can beelieve that. Maybee they are fighting back but I saw that thieves were stealing hives so that is not going to help the cause. Also they do not know yet what is doing the bees in although some say a virus, some say mobile phones, some say they are stressed out because apparently the hives are not a natural habitat for them. But if the bees go we really will bee beereft of fruit.

p.s. I haven't seen the nice big juicy bumble bee type, only the little wild bees or whatever they are.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

No Wasps are usually August time but we did get wasps 5 years ago In May nesting in the roof and we were having the house painted at the time.
It was funny seeing the painter trying to carryon and the wasps went in and out of a small hole all day very angry at being disturbed.
We had to buy powder from B and Q and it did kill them.
Do they have a purpose in life or do they only sting.
I would never kill a bee though.


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

We have had the big bumble bees in our garden,but they appear to be dying,they are just laying on the lawn,maybe they are sun bathing.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee
This was a good read.
Is it the Bumble bee that is in trouble then as my Bees are very fit and well.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

From the above link I copy and paste this need to know info...

One common, yet incorrect, assumption is that the buzzing sound ( listen (help·info)) of bees is caused by the beating of their wings. The sound is the result of the bee vibrating its flight muscles, and this can be done while the muscles are decoupled from the wings, a feature known in bees but not possessed by other insects. This is especially pronounced in bumblebees, as they must warm up their bodies considerably to get airborne at low ambient temperatures.[4] This is how bumblebees can sometimes reach an internal thoracic temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

I didn't know that but I expect everyone else does.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Pusser said:


> From the above link I copy and paste this need to know info...
> 
> One common, yet incorrect, assumption is that the buzzing sound ( listen (help·info)) of bees is caused by the beating of their wings. The sound is the result of the bee vibrating its flight muscles, and this can be done while the muscles are decoupled from the wings, a feature known in bees but not possessed by other insects. This is especially pronounced in bumblebees, as they must warm up their bodies considerably to get airborne at low ambient temperatures.[4] This is how bumblebees can sometimes reach an internal thoracic temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
> 
> I didn't know that but I expect everyone else does.


You are not alone as I didnt know that either


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## annetony (May 1, 2005)

I have seen quite a few bees in my garden this week as well but not the bumble bee

I did see a bumble bee the other week it looked like it was dying, so sad really 

I hope that whatever is affecting them goes away and they survive as I like the humble bumble




Anne


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Oh Joy! I have seen my first bumblebee. Lovely and black and yellow and very busy. I have been totally amazed re earlier post what the poor sods have to do just to take off.  

So I am developing a steam catapult, to scale I hasten to add, that bees can fix to their hives so they can take off without the need for a workup. 8) 

I know its sounds racist but I'm not letting wasps buy them. :twisted: I am joinng the Bee-NP


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