Bees

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Fat Controller, Jul 26, 2013.

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  1. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    It would appear that the nations bee crisis has been averted - they're numbers are not in decline, they are just on holiday at FC's place :cool: :snork:

    I know this, as there were loads of them accompanying me around the garden this evening whilst I was dead-heading and watering, and their company in such numbers gave me a good opportunity to notice that not only do bees all look different (size, shape, colours/markings etc, but also they sound different. I don't know if they are fitted with different engines or something :dunno:, but the tone certainly differed from bee to bee?
     
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      Fat Controller, Jul 26, 2013
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    • Fern4

      Fern4 Total Gardener

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      I was only thinking about this today. Maybe size has something to do with the tone of the buzzing? There's loads of em though in my garden now and it's great to see them. :blue thumb:
       
      Fern4, Jul 26, 2013
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    • Fat Controller

      Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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      Maybe its their gearboxes - I know that the sound of a bus or coach can be heavily dictated by the gearbox, so maybe bees are the same? :biggrin:
       
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        Fat Controller, Jul 26, 2013
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      • Fern4

        Fern4 Total Gardener

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        :snork:.......you've got me googling now. I know more about bees buzzing than I did a few minutes ago. :biggrin:
         
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          Fern4, Jul 26, 2013
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        • Phil A

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          Was surrounded by them weeding today, didn't hassle me at all. Got a very good friend who strokes them when they're not looking :)
           
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            Phil A, Jul 26, 2013
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          • Alan16ac

            Alan16ac Gardener

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            I noticed tens of bees in my garden today too. All over my Salvia, Lavender, Lupins, Cornflower and Globe Thistles.
            I counted 13 on one Lavender.
            However to my amazement I saw about 7 butterflies. The first I've seen this year.


            Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 2
             
            Alan16ac, Jul 26, 2013
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          • HarryS

            HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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              HarryS, Jul 27, 2013
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            • HarryS

              HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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              Lots a bees in my garden as well this year all different sizes. They are busy little fellas aren't they ! :blue thumb:
               
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            • "M"

              "M" Total Gardener

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                "M", Jul 27, 2013
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              • HarryS

                HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                M , - Is this Spruce ? :snork:
                [​IMG]
                 
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                  HarryS, Jul 27, 2013
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                • Jungle Jane

                  Jungle Jane Starved Of Technicolor

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                  My garden was full of bumble bees a few weeks back when I had all my foxgloves flowering. I like to pick them up and let them crawl all over my hand before they fly away. They don't seem to mind at all, sometimes the warmth from my hand in the evening gives them a bit of a boost.

                  I've hardly seen any honey bees though

                  Bumble bee identifier here

                  http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/identification/common-bumblebees/
                   
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                    Jungle Jane, Jul 27, 2013
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                  • Fat Controller

                    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                    I didn't know that they would sleep outside of their hives though? A few days ago, I had one in my garden having a kip on a African Marigold - it was there for ages, to the point that I thought it was dead, but eventually woke up and flew off.
                     
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                      Fat Controller, Jul 27, 2013
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                    • Phil A

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                      There's more Cabbage Whites this year than I've ever seen in the uk before, hundreds of them. I'm wondering if they're benefiting from the massive amounts of escaped rapeseed plants down here, the stuff is taking over a lot of the river banks.

                      Not many other species about though, only other ones I've seen have been Tortoise Shells & Meadow Browns.
                       
                      Phil A, Jul 27, 2013
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                    • Fat Controller

                      Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                      Loads of butterflies round this way, all sorts of shapes and colours too - even saw a buttery yellow one the other night, that I have never seen the likes of in my life before; a true butterfly.

                      The worrying thing is the lack of ladybirds to be honest - not seen one this year :dunno:
                       
                      Fat Controller, Jul 27, 2013
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                    • "M"

                      "M" Total Gardener

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                      I spent more than a little time fascinated by the number of bees in my garden last month. Managed to get a couple of shots of the different types. No idea of their proper names, so I gave them names of my own :heehee:

                      Starting with: Yellow Scarf/Orange Bloomers (enjoying the Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve' )

                      June Bees (4).JPG

                      Then "Stripey" dropped in on the "All you can eat" buffet

                      June Bees (8).JPG

                      Then "Orange Pants" put in an appearance in the wild patch

                      June Bees (12).JPG

                      Mr "Black Belt" winged his way in for a taste of the Pyracantha ....

                      June Bees (17).JPG

                      Then it was back to "Yellow Scarf/Orange Bloomers" for a chomp on the chives ...

                      June Bees (26).jpg

                      I was totally captivated and enthralled with their performances.

                      They do enjoy having a little sunbathing time, FC :)
                       
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                        "M", Jul 27, 2013
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