Bees

I thought there was a bee crisis in the U.S. I have seen more bees in the last few weeks than I have ever seen. I am not sure what kind they are, they don't look like what I think of as a honey bee. I also found a wasp nest in my greenhouse after I got stung twice. Anyone else?

Reply to
mjciccarel
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The local bumble bee is still around ( think it?s 2 or 3). They been regular visitors for as long as I can remember.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

The crisis is with honey bees. [and it is worldwide] I've actually seen more Honey Bees this year than I have for several years so either I'm lucky- or they are making a comeback. The ones I've been seeing seem smaller than the Italian bees that used to be so prolific-- not by a lot, but slightly.

Pedantic note-- 'wasps' and hornets aren't bees.

Bees are pollen collectors which make them important to gardeners.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Bee keepers have been going crazy gathering ferral hives and adding those to their herds. The genetic diversity resulting from this activity has been very good for the honey bee population. It's been getting better not worse for more than a year so far. The crisis is not past but it does appear to be past its worst. If you see a ferral nest you believe to be honey bees do call a bee keeper first, an exterminator second.

Reply to
Doug Freyburger

What is a Ferral nest?

Reply to
mjciccarel

" snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@h36g2000pro.googlegroups.com:

Mis-spelling, I think, Should be "feral", meaning "returned to wild from domestic". Honeybees (_Apis mellifera_) are not native to North America, so any "wild" colonies must in fact be feral.

Reply to
Alfred Falk

perhaps someone local has put in some hives or had them trucked in to pollinate?

i've seen very few honeybees here this year, but it seems that pollination has been going ok for most plants by other species (smaller bees, bumblebees, etc). there has always been a large variety around here of bees and we keep them well stocked with flower feeding stations of many kinds.

songbird

Reply to
songbird

Duh!

Here in mainland Australia, we do not have Bumble bees. There are Bumble bees in Tasmania but no on the mainland - lucky Tasmanians having these delightful bumble bees!

Anyway, I've been reading a book on beekeeping and it's written by a north American. I've been finding it hugely irritating to read because the author writes about 'honey bees' this and 'honey bees' that and 'honey bees' the other thing..........

Since I KNOW that I'm reading a book about bees, bee keeping, and honey production for the backyard hive owner, I've been wondering why this person keeps adding the adjective 'honey'. Duh! One dropped penny...........

Reply to
FarmI

Another 'separated by a common language thing'? In the US, Bumble bees are chubby fellows who are not the thoughtful workers that Honeybees are. Their nests are seasonal so they don't store honey.

Honeybees are truly social critters who make-- honey.

If you just say 'bees' - you include a bunch of species, most of whom don't make honey. [Carpenter bees, mason bees, bumble bees are the most common in my area.]

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

You are badly mistaken, Jim. There are several "races" of bumblebees (Bombus bimaculatus) that do make and store honey. Generally it is in small amounts and not typically stored for extended periods. Do a bit of research before making profound statements.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Peek

-snip-

Badly mistaken or imprecise? How about; "I don't think carpenter or mason bees make any honey. Bumblebees don't make enough honey to make it worthwhile for mankind to harvest."

Honey bees make enough honey to keep the hive going over a winter and to share with their human friends.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

But if we are talking about a response to my post, where I was wittering on about bees used for production of honey in backyards, then is Jim's response wrong?

Reply to
FarmI

I apologize for being harsh. Jim's response is both right and wrong. There are several species of Apis including the common "Italian" honeybee and most if not all have been domesticated in their native areas. There is a stingless honeybee in the Amazon and the wild Aussie bush bee that may be exceptions.

I believe I've read the same irritating book you were speaking of. I don't recall the author, Dadant perhaps?

Reply to
Steve Peek

It's called 'Storey's guide to keeping honey bees' and is written by Malcolm T. Sanford and Richard E. Bonney.

It only irritates me because of the constant repetion that the wee beasties are 'honeybees' rather than just 'bees'.

I suspect it probably wouldn't irritate native USians as much as it does me because they/you seem to use that term as a matter of course. To me seeing 'honeybees' rather than just 'bees' causes an eyejag every time I see it i.e. I pause and reread because it's so alien a term to me.

Reply to
FarmI

Saw one today, mulling over the privet flowers. Had somewhat whitish hairs, but still the standard pollinator.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

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