Huge surprise to me

JackM · February 05, 2012, 06:28:41 PM

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

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.

BeeManiac · February 05, 2012, 07:03:15 PM

Im pretty sure thats a fly. There are several kinds of (fly)look a likes.

BjornBee · February 05, 2012, 07:13:58 PM

I agree.

The second and third pics are not honey bees.

rdy-b · February 05, 2012, 07:23:21 PM

**and it had a large number of bees, and I think a drone too.**

drones dont forage-- :) RDY-B

JackM · February 05, 2012, 07:39:42 PM

Okay fly it is.

Kathyp · February 05, 2012, 11:03:45 PM

i only saw one pic? but...it's a bee!!

Michael Bush · February 06, 2012, 12:01:03 AM

It has pollen baskets... not a fly.

BjornBee · February 06, 2012, 07:58:35 AM

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.

JackM · February 06, 2012, 08:50:22 AM

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?

Kathyp · February 06, 2012, 11:27:41 AM

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.

Cadman · February 06, 2012, 12:44:46 PM

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.

JackM · February 06, 2012, 01:47:57 PM

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.

SEEYA · February 06, 2012, 03:23:44 PM

I thought I made a mistake once, :shock: but I was wrong. :-D

BjornBee · February 06, 2012, 03:48:37 PM

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.

Kathyp · February 06, 2012, 04:07:57 PM

Cadman, got filberts?

BlueBee · February 06, 2012, 09:20:19 PM

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.

JackM · February 07, 2012, 10:04:26 AM

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.

Kathyp · February 07, 2012, 10:33:43 AM

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!