Writhing bee?

[Emma K]

Hi,

My bees are flying well and bringing back lots of, I think, apple pollen. (I live next to an orchard.) While I was watching the entrance I saw a bee behaving oddly.

It landed on the landing board but instead of walking to the entrance it went head down tail up and it's abdomen twisted slowlyfrom side to side and up and down. Wings at odd angles, hind legs made grooming movements. It kept this up for a few minutes and stumbled around eventually reaching the door but other bees coming out kept pushing it away from the holes in the mouseguard. (Lots of mice around here and still cold at night.) I went to get some kit to catch it but by the time I got back it was gone.

Any suggestions as to why it was doing this?

Thanks.

 

[enrico]

No idea but...... Apple pollen? None of ours are in flower down here yet!!!!
E

 

[simonforeman]

No leaves on apple trees here yet... still buds

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well Emma lives next to the orchard. She must know if it’s flowering or not.
Your bee must have stuck it’s nose in something horrid and the guard bees wouldn’t let it in

 

[oliver90owner]

Even some insecticide?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Even some insecticide?

Gardeners have a lot to answer for

 

[Finman]

.
That bee had hay fever.
.

 

[enrico]

Well Emma lives next to the orchard. She must know if it’s flowering or not.
Your bee must have stuck it’s nose in something horrid and the guard bees wouldn’t let it in

Plum, possibly pear, but if it's apple I want some to plant here!
E

 

[beeno]

Plum, possibly pear, but if it's apple I want some to plant here!
E

My plum tree is in flower. My apple trees are way behind.

 

[Emma K]

Not apple



Sorry peoples. Went and had a look. Apples in bud, no flowers. Some magnolias in the hedge are flowering.

Bees bringing in bright orange pollen. Crocus maybe?

Thanks for your replies. I think my bee must have fallen foul of a fly spray... We had some wasps flying around here on Monday.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry peoples. Went and had a look. Apples in bud, no flowers. Some magnolias in the hedge are flowering.

Bees bringing in bright orange pollen. Crocus maybe?

Thanks for your replies. I think my bee must have fallen foul of a fly spray... We had some wasps flying around here on Monday.

Bright orange pollen? Dandelion?
Tell me you’re not spraying wasps

 

[Karsal]

Bright orange pollen around my apiary is the gorse. It's all in flower at the moment.

 

[Finno]

Bright orange pollen around my apiary is the gorse. It's all in flower at the moment.

Dandelion pollen is also orange, not yellow like the flower.

 

[Karsal]

Dandelion pollen is also orange, not yellow like the flower.

No dandelions out around me at the moment. Another week or so yet. And yes you are correct about its pollen colour.

 

[Monkey]

Tell me you’re not spraying wasps

I'm very new to bee keeping, and my outlook on life and the creatures that share the world with us has has changed completely.

However, an unfortunate incident with a wasp when I was 5 years old will mean I will delight in spraying the bastards at any chance I can. I will never spray if bees are near, but I will go full-on nuclear if I find a solitary wasp. That one incident, years ago, has affected my whole life. Mad? Perhaps. I don't care, I love killing wasps.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That one incident, years ago, has affected my whole life. Mad? Perhaps. I don't care, I love killing wasps.

Seemingly

 

[maddydog]

I'm very new to bee keeping, and my outlook on life and the creatures that share the world with us has has changed completely.

However, an unfortunate incident with a wasp when I was 5 years old will mean I will delight in spraying the bastards at any chance I can. I will never spray if bees are near, but I will go full-on nuclear if I find a solitary wasp. That one incident, years ago, has affected my whole life. Mad? Perhaps. I don't care, I love killing wasps.

Likely have your phobia fully tested later in the year - bee hives often very attractive to wasps

 

[Emma K]

No. I don't use insecticides.

Gorse... Havn't noticed any in flower. My garden backs onto a farmyard. The farmer removes any gorse on his land but I'll have a look on the marsh.

No dandelions around here but my next door neighbour has some blue crocus' out of sight in his back garden.

A visiting friend claims to be allergic to wasp stings. Funny how the wasp knew to land on his collar on Monday afternoon!

Been too cold for bees to fly since Monday, or to check the hive... I really hope only one bee was effected. I would be rather upset if they died now after surviving all winter.

 

[Swarm]

Gorse pollen is not bright orange.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Gorse pollen is not bright orange.

More of a dull browny orange