dying bees

[barrymanifold]

Hi all hope someone can help me answer the question .Large bees i presume are what i would call queens keep coming to die in my back garden about six last year and two in the last week . apart from these we never see bees at all in the garden or if we do it is rare .

 

[Luminos]

Any chance of a photo?

 

[Chickenlicken]

Do the large bees look as though they are wearing a rugby jersey? Ie strong bands of colour? Also Do they have hairy bodies? If any of the above they're probably bumble bees, or hover flies. These two can sometimes look almost an identical to a honey bee.
Regards clint

 

[barrymanifold]

I will have a look tomorrow to see if i can find one . I forgot to mention they seem lathargic and dont move much then next time you see them they are dead

 

[barrymanifold]

These are big bees

 

[Dishmop]

Do the large bees look as though they are wearing a rugby jersey?

These are big bees

Dont tackle them then.

 

[susbees]

Queen bumbles. Need reviving with sugar solution. The damp chill of the last week has caught a lot of bumble queens and wasp queens out...presumably not having sorted a nest site having coming out of hibernation. We found one on the kitchen floor today.

 

[barrymanifold]

Just been trying to find one in photo section here they are not the worker bees .they are fat and round in shape slightly bigger than a one pence peice

 

[Chickenlicken]

Pretty certain susbees has it right. A drop of sugar solution when lethargic should go a way to helping them me thinks.
Clint

 

[barrymanifold]

Thanks for that info next time we see one we will give some . Are we talking sugar and water or will honey do .I would still like to know why our garden is attracting them. We have a good sized one but not many flowers.

 

[barrymanifold]

Just reading that you have 16 colonys if i had that i would expect to see the odd dead bee but we have none . thats not to say there are some in the area .I hope the solution works as it seems such a waste if there is an answer.

 

[Chris Luck]

This might help clarify, not all bees are honey bees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee

http://www.royensoc.co.uk/insect_info/what/solitary_bees.htm

Chris

 

[Russel]

Thanks for that info next time we see one we will give some . Are we talking sugar and water or will honey do .I would still like to know why our garden is attracting them. We have a good sized one but not many flowers.

Sugar & water only, do not feed shop bought honey or any other for that matter.
Most likely to be blended from many sources and will almost certainly contain substances/organisms which will not be good for bees health but are "okay" for human consumption.

 

[barrymanifold]

It is a bumble bee understand now what you mean about rugby jersey

 

[barrymanifold]

Sugar and water it is then .shows you have to ask the questions .

 

[Russel]

Sugar and water it is then .shows you have to ask the questions .

Nothing wrong with that!

 

[Chickenlicken]

It is a bumble bee understand now what you mean about rugby jersey

Lol that is one question I always ask before collecting a swarm I'd called! It's saved me a few trips only to see a bunch of bumblers!

Honey carries a lot of bee diseases, not sure if it would affect bumblebees but definitely not worth the risk. A one to one solution of water and white cane sugar is similar to nectar, and is something the bumble bee can use.
I say cane sugar as I believe that sugar beet is planted with systemic neonicitiniod insecticide that potentially could produce sub lethal effects on bees.
Regards
Clint