BEES

TREE or GARDEN BEES, DORSET

WHITE-TAILED BUMBLEBEES (BOMBUS LUCORUM), DORSET

SUMMER BEES IN A DORSET GARDEN

RED-TAILED BUMBLEBEES (BOMBUS LAPIDARIUS)

Classic view, feeding on hyssop

This bee has a fair-sized mite on its back

A frankly rather indelicate shot – somehow the light produced this extraordinary colouring of the ‘tail’

HONEY RUSH: AUTUMN BEES TOPPING UP FOR WINTER

The bees are working overtime as a chill spreads over September and winter downtime looms for them. So busy are they that there is competition for individual flowers  – even though there are more than enough to go round. Bumbles were out in force yesterday, and there are still butterflies around, mainly tiny Small Coppers and Whites of different sizes.

We’ve done a quick assessment of plant popularity this spring and summer that produces this league table:

1. Hyssop – the runaway winner for bees of many types, ditto butterflies and (new entry) moths. Planted for the first time in May, and has effortlessly thrived (throve? thriven?) to become Nectar Central.
2. Lavender – perennial success with bees and butterflies. More planted this spring and very well visited.
3. Cosmos – new to the garden this year, a fast and easy grower, and hugely popular with bees, especially bumbles. Also visited by honey bees and butterflies, but only on their way the the hyssop.

Blurry, I know, but the intruder arrived from nowhere as I pressed the button… Why it didn’t land on one of several vacant flowers next to this one, I have no idea. Maybe fighting drunk on pollen?

COMMON CARDER BEE Bombus pascuorum

JULY BUMBLEBEES IN DORSET  

WHITE-TAILED BUMBLEBEES (Bombus lucorum), Dorset

TINY HONEY BEES OF THE BAHAMAS: CLICK ABACO BEES

AUTUMN BEES AT CLIVEDEN

A DEFINITION OF IRONY – OR FRUSTRATION

THREE BUMBLEBEES FEEDING ON ONE FLOWER – DORSET

A BUMBLEBEE GETS BUSY WITH COTONEASTER – DORSET, MAY 2012

HONEY BEES, EAST SUSSEX ON 1st APRIL 

These bees are from four hives, and were thirsty. During the day there were always several drinking in the birdbath. Although the water level was quite low, sadly there had been a couple of casualties early in the day. Adding bits of plant solved the problem. Also shown below is the first honey of the year. 

BEES INVESTIGATING FLOWERS AND BLOSSOM IN A LONDON GARDEN

SPRING BEE INVESTIGATING DAFFODILS – LONDON

A SMALL HONEY BEE MAKING THE MOST OF PROVENCAL ALMOND BLOSSOM 

TINY GINGER BEE FORAGING ON A SUNNY MARCH DAY IN THE HILLS OF SE PROVENCE

BEES FEASTING ON FUCHSIA IN EARLY OCTOBER – DORSET

  GET A GRIP

NICE HAT

 HANG IN THERE

TUSCAN HONEY BEES

HONEY BEES ENJOYING PENSTEMON

Blurry, I know – but it’s an ‘action’ shot…

…and Perovskia ‘Blue Spire‘ (Russian sage)…

…and getting stuck into the lavender

 

HONEY BEES on Globe Thistle (Echinops)

BUMBLEBEES

COMMON CARDER BEES (Bombus Pascuorum)

WHITE-TAILED BUMBLE BEE (Bombus Lucorum)