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Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 14 1:08 pm Post subject:
Oh God, go and read a book on beekeeping. Please.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 14 5:01 pm Post subject:

Cathryn wrote:

When I have enough bees, I won't worry about mine swarming as I want to populate this area. I haven't found a single bee in 400 acres. No one in the Society has put up any objection to this plan.

I'm only one person though.

My plan is to collect as many swarms as I can from elsewhere & increase the genetic diversity of my apiary.
No doubt many swarms will have come from over managed hives & have no disease/pest resistance but some will be from resistant stock & can only reinforce my stocks.
It is a good question because many beekeepers who collect swarms kill the queens & requeen from their own stocks or even destroy the swarm & charge for the service of collection.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 14 7:54 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Do different bees pollinate different plants? I assume so, but are they so specific that having no honey bees is an issue, except for the honey thing?

Yes but I'm not sure on the details. I just know that some bees struggle with cultivated clover because the flowers are too long for them to reach into. Some get around this by piercing the flowers so that they can reach.

Fascinating, wish I could make time for a day lying in the sun watching bumble bees.

I'm going to!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 14 9:40 pm Post subject:

my semi cultivated bramble has a few distinct types that visit,ranging from big woolly bumbles to what look like domestic hive dwellers.there are 4 different "round"ones of various sizes and colouring that i can tell apart ,masons and the very slim dark ones that i cant id.
spose there are at least 7 types that i have noticed as a type so far

so one plant is suitable for more than one type if it is a bramble

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15998

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 14 7:26 am Post subject:

In general honey bees go for shorter necked flowers but if the weather is wet the nectar in things like buddleia will get nearer the top of the tube in the flower, and they can reach it. Similarly with clover and runner bean. Some bees, both bumble and honey will pierce the back of the flower to get the honey, but think that is an individual thing of the bee rather than the species.

Woods are good places for bumble bees as they like living in mouse nests or similar down holes. They also live in compost heaps, which can frighten a few people.

We had a honey bee nest in a hole in a tree in our wood for several years. It died out after a while, but was happy there for a couple of years.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 14 8:15 am Post subject:

dpack wrote:

I imagine something so invasive as a bramble has got to that place by being accessible by a range of species. Are there rarer plants that rely solely on honey bees tho?

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 14 9:16 am Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Are there rarer plants that rely solely on honey bees tho?

Rarer plants than brambles?
That doesn't narrow it down much.

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