Last year never saw a bee one. Today is pretty warm, almost 50, still have 20+ winds, but my front yard is sorta sheltered and getting nice sun. We have heather out there, and it blooms all winter, particularly now. So myself I wanted some sun and went out there. This area is about 100 square feet or so of mature heathers, and it had a large number of bees, and I think a drone too.
Anyhow, I got one good photo of a worker with pollen in her baskets, and a couple shots of what I think is a drone, but wish for some confirmation on that. So I have a web site where I posted the photos.
http://www.scalemodelbuilder.net/index.php?p=1_27_MIsc (http://www.scalemodelbuilder.net/index.php?p=1_27_MIsc)
Now, I wonder if this could be beelined the next time I get a nice day and have time (no superbowl on tv) and maybe find a feral hive????? Like I say I saw no bees last year at all, even on the heather.
Lastly, any idea what species they are? The 'drone' was darker and fatter and had bigger eyes and body and wings and no pollen baskets or none collected anyhow.
Im pretty sure thats a fly. There are several kinds of (fly)look a likes.
I agree.
The second and third pics are not honey bees.
**and it had a large number of bees, and I think a drone too.**
drones dont forage-- :) RDY-B
Okay fly it is.
i only saw one pic? but...it's a bee!!
It has pollen baskets... not a fly.
Jack,
I can not see pics #2 and #3 anymore. Is it just me or did you remove them?
While #1 was a honey bee, I suggest that pictures #2 and #3 are NOT honey bees. There was no pollen baskets as I remember. And even if there were, they (#2 & #3) were not honey bees.
You had two different insects in those pictures, and now readers will get confused as to what has been said.
Yep, sorry, I deleted the other two as to no look so stupid but it was almost super bowl time so did not advise in the thread. Sorry.
Anyway, pretty cold for bees, or ???? So how far would they have come from on a day with winds over 20mph, we are like in a little sheltered area and they were less than 15 as gusts at the house.
I really may try beelining just for the heck of it. There were enough there to vacume into a nuc. But frankly I don't see how they can fly far in this wind.
Should I somehow bait my empty hives or a nuc?
don't worry about looking dumb. even when we are wrong about stuff, we learn. others learn from our mistakes. besides, i don't have regular flies around here yet. you might have been looking at some thing like mason bees.
My bees were out in force over the weekend too, bringing back pollen. That suprised me too. I don't know where they are getting it. I watched them fight the wind gusts to back in the hive. Amazing creatures.
Well it really looked like a larger bee, just no pollen sacks and it was sticking it's probiscus into the flowers, whatever it was. Not a mason bee I dont' think way larger than the one pictured. It was hairy and yellow and black stripped abd. Not bumble bee, had one of those there too. Curious to see what today brings, having gusts to 50 now with expected worse this afternoon.
I thought I made a mistake once, :shock: but I was wrong. :-D
If you watch the insect in pics two and three again, you will see they are great at hovering, and zooming around in a erratic manner very unlike honey bees. They fly, stop, and move in a very distinct manner.
Cadman, got filberts?
I saw one honey bees and some cool Helicopters on Jacks site! Nice job on those choppers BTW.
QuoteI really may try beelining just for the heck of it. But frankly I don't see how they can fly far in this wind.
I tend to agree with you. I bet there's pretty close this time of year in the north. Maybe within a couple hundred yards or so; just a guess.
Thanks Blue. There are a couple 'forested' areas in that distance, could have tree hive. Yesterday there were much fewer bees and the wind was much worse. Same temps. Bumble bees were there again ..... wind or winter. This time of year is just so icky here.
last couple of years we didn't seem to have as much wind. this year is a year for it! still, i think i'd rather have the wind than day after day of rain. last year was depressing!