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Bees in my polytunnel -a mystery

 
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Green Rosie



Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 16 2:44 pm    Post subject: Bees in my polytunnel -a mystery Reply with quote
    

I added this to the blog post but in case bee keepers don't venture over there I'll add it here too. I have a few hundred bees in my polytunnel and I have no idea why - can anyone shed any light on this mystery? https://eco-gites.blogspot.fr/2016/10/bees-in-polytunnel.html

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 16 6:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The pic of a 'bee' on a leaf isn't a bee, looks more like a hover fly. The bees on the metal tube look slightly more pointy than I'd expect for honey bees, but to me they look the same as the one on the marigold flower. Is there any sugar or sap on the rail, perhaps they've found something sweet?

Green Rosie



Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 16 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

An Irish bee keeper has just tweeted that my honey bee is in fact a hover fly so I'll edit the blog. I think it could be Eristalis pertinax. The beekeeper also suggested the bees may have come in to get condensation or honeydew from aphids but there are no aphids in there and there are as many bees elsewhere as on the tube and they don't appear to be drinking anything - they are either flying around, feeding on the marigolds or bashing into the plastic. Would you think they are more likely to me drones licked out of the colony, rather than female worker bees? The Irish beekeeper also said this: bees w orange bands are cross of western & Italian honeybee subspecies & colonies may have mix of brown & brown/orange bees.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 16 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

They don't look like drones to me, drones tend to be bigger, plumper and rounder. They also sound different, deeper more lazy sound. I've not seen any drones about for a few weeks now so unless you're much warmer I doubt they're drones.

Green Rosie



Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 16 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We are possibly warmer than you (well until today) with daytime temps in the high teens/low twenties but frosts this week at night. I will bow to your greater knowledge about drones!

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46218
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 16 10:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

iirc hoverflies come in various sorts ,some drink nectar, some eat pests (perhaps some do both ) both sorts do far more good than they get credit for.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 16 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

They're ivy bees....... Possibly.

OH thinks they are ivy bees and, on looking them up, they hatch about now and are only active for a month or two. Worth looking them up.

Green Rosie



Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France
PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 16 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think you might be right - thank you and I'll do a bit more research to try and find out how they ended up in my polytunnel ... although a quick search seems to indicate they shouldn't sting me

Green Rosie



Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 16 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Poof - and now they are all gone ...

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