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We have a honey bee hive in our garden!

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tracyp
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Post by Eleanor Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:34 am

First topic message reminder :

There's an insect nest hanging up. A few weeks ago, shredded leaves mysteriously started appearing in the holes as plugs. Then, about a week later, I was putting a rubbish bag out in the garden and I saw a honey bee fly into one of the holes with a big piece of leaf! happy And I would like to point out that I feel very special and smug, as I was the first one to notice! Mwuhahaha!  evil 

It's a very small hive. Like this:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510u%2B7vrrOL._SX300_.jpg

Only with shredded leaves plugging most of the holes! tongue

I won't be as happy if the swarm gets too much bigger, but I think (hope) that's very unlikely. Bit sad, really, as they probably won't survive long without proper beekeeping - which I'm definitely not going to do! I wouldn't have a clue! Probably for the best, though, as we'd otherwise have to call in a beekeeper to move the hive. I think it's just a temporary swarm anyway, while they look for a proper home.
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Post by Caryll Sat Jul 26, 2014 4:55 am

30 minutes doesn't seem very long!
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Post by tracyp Sat Jul 26, 2014 5:00 am

Caryll wrote:30 minutes doesn't seem very long!
Its not really but I refuse to live in fear. I hate dr's, I don't even take panadol. I have just learnt to be alert. 

Its actually not often a bee or wasp will sting you. Normally they will fly off if they can.
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Post by Caryll Sat Jul 26, 2014 5:19 am

True. I've only been stung twice by wasps, and never by bees.
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Post by Eleanor Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:56 am

Luckily, like you said, they don't often sting!

I think part of the reason I've never been afraid of bees is that they're far gentler, as herbivores. Wasps are carnivorous and always prepared to sting. As I child, I think part of that probably got through to me subconsciously.

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Post by Lorraine Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:00 am

Also, a wasp may sting again and again - bees lose their stinger and their life when they sting - so they need to be sure its worth it.
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Post by Caryll Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:07 am

Lorraine wrote:Also, a wasp may sting again and again - bees lose their stinger and their life when they sting - so they need to be sure its worth it.

Most do, but apparently not all! shocked 
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Post by Eleanor Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:41 am

Bumblebees can sting repeatedly - honey bees can't. happy Bumbles will very, very rarely sting though, so it's not much of a problem.

I love bees tongue
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Post by tracyp Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:39 pm

I love them to. Watching them flit from flower to flower. They are lovely.
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Post by Eleanor Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:02 pm

Amazing love

Scientists actually claim it's physically impossible for a bumble bee to fly. Errr... Step out of your laboratories and look at the nearest clump of flowers, you nitwits.
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Post by LyndaW Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:09 pm

Incredible! Maybe these scientists were just looking at the bumblebee on the drawing board - big fat body, little tiny wings - nah, won't get off the ground.
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Post by Eleanor Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:20 pm

Sounds like it! I often wonder if they ever venture out into daylight.
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Post by Lorraine Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:23 pm

Ahem. I can assure you I do see the light of day........ shocked 
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Post by tracyp Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:28 pm

laughing
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Post by tracyp Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:37 pm

Eleanor wrote:Luckily, like you said, they don't often sting!

 Wasps are carnivorous and always prepared to sting. 

Just a side note.

If you feed your dog raw bones, dont leave them outside for any length of time. Especially in warmer months. Wasps feed off the meat/marrow & dogs get stung when they go back to chew on the bone.
We also watch the water bowl as wasps actually sit there to drink.
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Post by tracyp Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:43 pm

LyndaW wrote:Incredible!  Maybe these scientists were just looking at the bumblebee on the drawing board - big fat body, little tiny wings - nah, won't get off the ground.
Bit like the weather forecasters.  If only they looked out a window before they open their mouths they would be right far more often. rolling on floor
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Post by Eleanor Sun Jul 27, 2014 12:37 am

laughing Unless you claim that bumble bees can't fly, I think you can be excused!

Those are good points, Tracy! Thanks! happy I sometimes put a water bowl downstairs for Demps when he's sunbathing.
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Post by tracyp Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:52 am

A wasp is one of the insects that will actually drink water rather than obtain it from their food source. Christmas beetles & mosquitos drink water. Just to name a couple.


Last edited by tracyp on Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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Post by Eleanor Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:10 am

I didn't know that! I think I knew about the mosquitos, but otherwise that's news to me! happy

As much as wasps annoy me, I can't deny their use. Great natural pest controllers.
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Post by tracyp Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:16 am

Wasps arent great anything except compost in my vegie patch.
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Post by Eleanor Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:30 am

laughing
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Post by LyndaW Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:57 pm

It's weird, but I've hardly seen any wasps at all this year.

Unlike my sister, who came home from a weekend away and found about 50 dead wasps on her living room floor, and a big fat live wasp clinging to the curtains (which she left there!!!)

I told her to get rid of the big wasp as it was probably a queen looking to build a new nest in her house, and the dead wasps were her husbands.

Well, I'm not sure if I'm correct, but this is how bees work I think.
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Post by Caryll Sun Jul 27, 2014 9:46 pm

I don't know how wasps work in that respect, but they still have a queen, that I do know.

You know, Lynda, you're right - I've seen very few wasps this summer. One or two, yes, but at this time of year they're normally everywhere! We had a barbeque a week or so ago & not one came to annoy us!
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Post by LyndaW Mon Jul 28, 2014 12:46 am

One thing I learned from my many holidays in Greece, eating in the open air when wasps were a serious distraction. Put a heap of coffee granules in a saucer on the table and set fire to it. It does work (a bit!)

Although I welcome the scarcity of wasps (who as aforementioned will sting me painfully for no reason whatsoever), I read somewhere that they predate upon crane-fly larvae (leatherjackets). Now I don't have a lawn so that doesn't bother me but I can't stand craneflies. I know it's illogical because they won't hurt me, but they give me the serious heebie-jeebies, like flying spiders and I can't stand them near me. Come September I will learn whether the paucity of wasps has increased the cranefly population - if it has I will revise my view of wasps, although which will be the lesser of two evils I don't know!
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Post by tracyp Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:33 am

It's good to learn something new everyday! I've never heard of crane flies so I just looked it up. I hate those things. Thanks for telling me their name Lynda!

But I'd still prefer crane flies to wasps.

We are taught as children if we have a can of soda to never put it down outside without a tissue, coaster... just something over the top of the can as wasps will fly in for a drink, child drinks & gets stung in the mouth or throat.
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Post by Eleanor Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:58 am

A lot of people call Crane Flies 'Daddy Long Legs' over here, which is the name of one of our spindly-legged spiders. They're a nuisance, as they make a huge racket when they get inside your bedroom at night, crashing into the walls and windows.

I've not seen many wasps this year either. A couple of them buzzed into my bedroom the day before yesterday, when it was quite hot, but they left quickly.

The trouble will come later in the year, when they finally wake up. sad They get really aggressive.
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