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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Oct 2, 2010 19:05:35 GMT
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Post by Ladygardener on Oct 5, 2010 10:29:31 GMT
She's getting a good feed there CPB well done.  |
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Post by Tig on Feb 24, 2011 15:12:52 GMT
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 24, 2011 15:36:54 GMT
From a buzzing Staffordshire garden, all taken today ;D   x Tig Absolutely fantastic and I am soooo jealous...wonderful pic's Tig..  RF |
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 24, 2011 16:31:48 GMT
 Amazing detail Tig - the bees face is so clear.
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Post by Barbara on Feb 24, 2011 17:45:15 GMT
 And from me , well done what a great picture well done that bee for posing for you. ;D
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Post by davidk on Feb 24, 2011 18:11:43 GMT
Does a bee's bum count???  |
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 24, 2011 18:16:07 GMT
;D Look at that!
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Post by davidk on Feb 24, 2011 18:20:14 GMT
Hope you liked it, Jasmine. I took the pic while it was burying itself into a petunia....see his pollen covered legs! Same bee, another shot.  |
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 24, 2011 18:25:15 GMT
No pride there - just the business in hand David! ;D
On a serious note it's quite a vulnerable position for a creature to put itself in.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 24, 2011 19:16:51 GMT
Bees at this time of year  NO WHEY  I will go ask Wilf if he has seen any today ;D |
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Post by Tig on Feb 24, 2011 19:20:28 GMT
Made me laugh  A very determined bee. Thanks for the noms everyone, I reckon the 'posing' bee was so worn out it couldn't move. Should have seen the pollen sacks some of them were carrying!!!! They were well and truly loaded. x Tig |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 24, 2011 19:22:20 GMT
Why havent I seen any  |
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 24, 2011 19:49:26 GMT
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 24, 2011 19:54:07 GMT
He says IMPOSSIBLE no bees out yet My crocus are up - I dont ever remember planting any - but not open so maybe Mr Bee is waiting for my garden to open up  Thought I saw a few mozzies by my summer house today - it gets quite hot in there |
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Post by davidk on Feb 24, 2011 20:05:09 GMT
Made me laugh A very determined bee. Thanks for the noms everyone, I reckon the 'posing' bee was so worn out it couldn't move. Should have seen the pollen sacks some of them were carrying!!!! They were well and truly loaded. x Tig Loved your pics too, Tig Does this mean there's no bees outside of Staffordshire?? |
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Post by Tig on Feb 24, 2011 20:07:09 GMT
There were loads of mozzies hovering in little clouds here today Jen, I reckon the bees should be with you shortly - they aren't that far away  x Tig |
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 24, 2011 21:02:16 GMT
Fab pictures, well worth the nominations Tig. I thought I might have seen one today but nope, not yet. David is your pic from last year or do you have petunia out now. |
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Post by davidk on Feb 24, 2011 21:25:19 GMT
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 25, 2011 5:50:05 GMT
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Post by Jilly on Feb 25, 2011 10:41:36 GMT
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 25, 2011 11:00:44 GMT
Oh goodness! Last year, Ladygardener.....hope I haven't been breaking rules again.  Had to laugh at that David - no, it's a great pic and you haven't been breaking the rules ... It is only that POTM nominations can only be given to pics that are from the current month...see the Thread title and descriptor... "Photo of the Month Nominate an outstanding photo from this month's postings.... nominate more than one by all means, but from the current month, please...." ...and I have a sneaky feeling that LG wanted to nominate it and was asking when the photo had been taken.. not to mention wondering how you have a petunia flowering in Feb... RF |
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Post by davidk on Feb 25, 2011 11:40:40 GMT
That's reassuring, Rosefriend.
I have to say that my camera is never far away from me when I'm in the garden and if we keep our eyes open and with a little patience, there are some gems to be had.
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 25, 2011 11:45:16 GMT
I wondered if there was a rule about when photos were taken as I wanted to give David's photo a POTM.
It's a great pic anyway David....hopefully there'll be more bee's bums around as it warms up!
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 25, 2011 13:09:23 GMT
That's exactly right Rf. ;D I'm keeping my eyes peeled every time I go outside now for bees but no luck so far. |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Feb 25, 2011 17:36:01 GMT
This time of year you might start seeing the large queen bees foraging, they come out of hibernation and spend time building up stores of pollen so that they can feed their first worker larvae. the first bumblebees to emerge in the spring are usually bombus terrestris...(there are about 5 common species that are very difficult to differentiate) Some people think that the mated queens need to weigh 0.6 g to survive hibernation. Bombus Pratorum are the fist ones to produce workers.
Geranium's pics look like a honey bee or a solitary bee...there are loads of bee mimics too.
Took this from a honey bee website
" Although honey bees and bumble bees are closely related, their winter behavior is very different.
A colony of honey bees will live throughout the entire winter, actively keeping the nest warm and safe. Although a winter colony is much smaller than a summer colony, it will nevertheless contain thousands of individuals. They eat and work all winter long–activity which requires a large cache of stored food.
Bumble bees do not maintain colonies throughout the winter. Instead, the last brood of the summer colony will contain a number of queens. Each of these queens will mate and then find a nest in which to overwinter. She alone will hibernate until spring.
While the bumble bee queen hibernates she is neither eating nor working. Her depressed rate of metabolism allows her to live for long periods while burning very little fuel.
In the spring, she must work hard. She begins by finding a suitable nesting spot. Next she builds a “honey pot” from wax and will use it to hold a small store of honey. She will also collect pollen, and make a pile of pollen mixed with honey called “bee bread.”
Here is where it gets weird. Much like a chicken, the queen bumble bee will lay her eggs on the pollen and then sit on them to keep them warm. During the development of the young bumble bees, the queen will eat the honey she stored in her pot.
The first batch of young bees will be mostly workers—bees who can take over the household chores and foraging while the queen continues to lay eggs. Later in the season, she will lay some eggs that become queens and drones. These bees will be the ones that are responsible for the next generation.
This life cycle is found in bumble bees throughout the temperate regions of the world. Some tropical bumble bees may have small colonies that survive for several years since there is no need to hibernate."
(taken from Honey Bee Suite by Rusty)
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 25, 2011 18:24:59 GMT
Thanks for posting that Cheery - it was an interesting read.
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Feb 25, 2011 18:35:21 GMT
I do get very excited where bumblebees are concerned....I have developed a deep respect for them and the main criteria for me when looking for flowers to grow in the garden, is that the bees will like them....  Last summer I had bumblebees actually landing on me whilst I was taking pics...having a little rest in the sunshine...buzzzz ;D |
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 25, 2011 18:36:07 GMT
You must smell nice! ;D
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Post by davidk on Feb 26, 2011 14:30:16 GMT
No pride there - just the business in hand David! ;D On a serious note it's quite a vulnerable position for a creature to put itself in. Bit of an afterthought, Jasmine....but could this be why their sting is located at the rear end?? |
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I hope that she survives the winter and sets up home in the garden.
NO WHEY 
A very determined bee.
Last summer I had bumblebees actually landing on me whilst I was taking pics...having a little rest in the sunshine...buzzzz ;D