Bees are the unsung heroes of our planet. Dive deep into the life, habits, and challenges these incredible pollinators face. From their intricate dances to their vital role in our food chain, there’s so much to uncover.
Bees face several natural predators in their nests and on their foraging trips. From birds and mammals to insects and arachnids, there’s really no end to the potential dangers and predators that bees might come across. As gardeners and nature enthusiasts, it’s fascinating to understand the complex relationships between bees and their predators and to …
Bees are essential pollinators that play a crucial role in maintaining our ecosystem’s balance, but they aren’t free from danger. Unfortunately, these fuzzy flyers are also a favourite food of many predatory insects. While it may seem unfair, the truth is that insects eating other insects is just a part of nature’s cycle and that …
Do you want to make sure your garden is thriving? Are you looking for natural, sustainable ways to help it flourish? Then it’s time to look into the amazing benefits of bee pollination. From creating stronger and healthy plants to providing essential nutrients in the soil. Not only that, but you’ll be playing an important …
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This rather small species of bumblebee can be found in a wide range of habitats across the United Kingdom. Appearance The heath bumblebee is characterised by its distinctive yellow collar, yellow-banded abdomen and pure white tail. It has a small, short, rounded face that’s as long as it is wide. Apart from its smaller size …
The Bombus hortorum, also known as the garden bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee that is native to Europe. These bees are important pollinators for a variety of plants, including fruits and vegetables, and are known for their distinctive yellow and black striped pattern. They’re considered as one of the ‘big 7’, one of seven …
There are approximately 250 different species of bumblebees across the world with varying sizes, colours and patterns and they can be found in every country except Australia and Antarctica. With so many different species of bumblebee in the genus Bombus, it’s often hard to tell which species you’re observing. We’ve detailed some of the most …
The leafcutter bee is a fascinating species of bee belonging to the genus Megachile which also includes resin bees and mason bees. *This subset belongs to the much larger Megachilidae cosmopolitan family made up of solitary species. Leafcutter bees have gained their name due to their unique behaviour of leaf cutting. This involves removing circular …
If you have eczema, it can be difficult to find a moisturizer that works for you and doesn’t aggravate your condition. Enter beeswax, the perfect solution to help treat and prevent dry skin for people with eczema. Let’s take a closer look at the intrinsic link between beeswax and eczema and how you can use …
The term mining bee refers to a group of bee species belonging to the genus Andrena. In the UK, there are 67 species of mining bee, including the tawny mining bee, ashy mining bee and Clarke’s mining bee. What Do Mining Bees Look Like? Identifying mining bees away from their nests can be tricky. With …
Bees are a crucial part of our ecosystem. They pollinate our crops and wild plants, which helps keep the environment healthy and provides a wide range of habitats for other insects and nails. Bees also produce honey used by humans as a food source and for a range of medicinal purposes. Let’s take a deep …
The early bumblebee sometimes referred to as the early-nesting bumblebee, Latin name Bombus pratorum is a widely spread species visible in many areas across the UK. This relatively small species of bumblebee gains its name for being one of the first bumblebees to appear in early spring, feasting on early blooming flower varieties. What do …
Bees are one of the most important pollinators in the world, but they’re also often misunderstood. Bees live in colonies, and each colony has a different life cycle. Honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees all have their own ingenious methods and techniques for surviving a chilly winter. So how do bees survive a long winter without …
We all see bees when we’re out in the garden or going for a walk. While these furry little flying creatures buzz around so fast it’s hard to see what they’re actually doing, but thanks to science we now have a much better understanding of bees and how they behave. Bees are flying insects and …
Have you ever observed honeybees wiggling their bums in a form of a strange dance-like motion and wondered what they’re doing and why? Well look no further, we’ve gone ahead and found out exactly why bees wiggle their bums and the myriad of reasons they might do it. Let’s take a closer look at our …
The Tree bumblebee, Latin name Bombus hypnorum of the genus Bombus is a species of bumblebee present across parts of Europe and Asia. Despite its fast spread across mainland Europe and the UK this species is still not currently found in the Mediterranean or large swathes of Eastern Europe. What do Tree bumblebees look like? …
The White-tailed bumblebee, Latin name Bombus lucorum is a species of bumblebee common across the United Kingdom and Europe. The term White-tailed bumblebee is a cover-all for three species of bumblebee with nearly indistinguishable characteristics. These three taxa are: B. lucorum – White-tailed bumblebee Bombus magnus – Northern white-tailed bumblebee Bombus cryptarum – Cryptic bumblebee …
Yes, if bees are unable to leave the hive to collect water they are at risk of overheating. Signs of overheating include bearding (huddling in large numbers outside the hive), increase activity to collect and deposit water in the hive or in extreme cases melting honey and wax. Keeping bees in warmer climates comes with …
No, while it might look like bees are eating wood, they are carpenter bees using their large mandibles to tunnel inside, create a nest, and not ingest any of the wood extracted during this process. These holes are typically ½-inch in diameter and perfectly rounded. This ingenious technique allows the bee to raise her young …
Have you ever stopped to think, what do bees do at night? Everyone knows that the main job of most bees is to collect pollen during the warm daylight hours, but where do bees go at night, and what do they do? Only thanks to a study conducted in the 80s do we know the …
No, bees do not eat caterpillars. Wasps and hornets regularly predate on caterpillars and can often be mistaken for bees. Bees species, excluding the Vulture bee, feed on a predominantly pollen and nectar diet. This can lead to close encounters with many other insects in the stems, leaves and flowers of plants. Generally, most bees …
Despite their name, stingless bees or meliponines are equipped with powerful mandibles to bite intruders alongside injecting a painful formic acid. Stingless bees will also use a sticky resin to actively stick intruders to the floor with some species forming a soldier caste solely to dispatch intruders. Unlike honeybees, stingless bees have vestigial (atrophied) stingers …
Yes, while bees aren’t attracted to blood in particular they are often observed drinking foul liquids including blood due to the minerals contained within. Many beekeepers operate on working farms and there have been many reports of bees investigating and drinking spilt blood from farm animals. This extends to other bodily fluids as well, believe …
Yes, bees will happily take flight on damp days but flying in the rain for long periods or during severe rains can be dangerous for bees. Bumblebees are more likely to forage during rainy days than other species like the honeybee that will opt to stay inside the hive during precipitation. So how do bees …
Yes, many bee species eat dandelions, including honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. Dandelions have been somewhat demonised as the bane of lawns worldwide. This tiny little weed provides a fantastic food source for the wildlife in your garden. Dandelions, Latin name (Taraxacum officinale), are championed as one of the first flowers to provide a suitable …
Yes, bananas contain natural sugars that bees are attracted to. However, bananas contain a compound naturally occurring in alarm pheromones bees release. Feeding a banana to a managed hive or consuming a banana close to a hive can induce an aggressive reaction due to the similarity in these compounds. When it comes to bees and …
To revive a tired bee you can simply mix two tablespoons of tap water with a tablespoon of granulated white sugar, place the solution close to the bee using a teaspoon and allow it to drink. Never feed bees honey and don’t try to force the bee to drink. How To Revive A Tired Bee …
Yes, male bumblebees will emerge in early spring before any queens. They stake out territory and try to mate with any queens that enter while driving away any competing males that try to enter their domain. This territorial attitude extends only as far as other males within their species rather than humans. Carpenter bees are …
Found a bee that can’t fly? Don’t worry we’ve got you and your furry friend covered with our helpful guide on how to help a bee that can’t fly. Bees fly directly from their hives and nests either to forage for resources or to mate and reproduce. Grounded bees can be a sign of a …
No, while it might seem like bees are eating aphids (often referred to as black flies or green flies) they’re actually feeding on the sugary waste excretions produced by Aphids while feeding on tree sap. This excretion is known as ‘honeydew’. It’s a common misconception that bees are a natural form of pest control for …
No, most bees have a plant-based diet rich in pollen and nectar. Some species of stingless bees have been observed feeding on the flesh of dead animals, but their diet does not extend to living insects like ants. The opposite is true of ants, with honey, honeycomb, and even protein-rich young larvae on the menu …
Stingless bees are a large group of species all comprised within the tribe Meliponini of the greater Apidae family and are often referred to as stingless honeybees. Stingless bees are eusocial just like honeybees meaning they display a high level of social intelligence displayed by females raising young with the support and cooperation of non-reproductive …
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Yes, many species of bumblebee and some solitary bees will hibernate in the ground over winter. They rely on fat stored over the summer months to ensure their survival through to their emergence in early spring. Winter is a challenging time for bees and with the changeable temperatures, we seem to be experiencing bees are …
Yes, bees can and will sting you through your clothes. You will be stung more easily through tight-fitting clothes or clothing items with very thin material. Thick, baggy clothing is the best way to avoid getting stung by bees. How do bees sting you through your clothes? Honeybees have evolved for thousands of years and …
Yes, bees can fart just like humans! Honeybees ingest pollen which is passed down into their honey stomachs and middle gut to be digested. Digested matter travels to the hindgut to be expelled as excrement, any air present in the fecal matter at the time of expulsion will become a bee fart. How do bees …
Bumblebees use sight and smell to identify potential new foraging locations. This means they will often hover just above the heads of flowers assessing the viability of each flower. Male bumblebees can be very territorial and will often hover in one spot waiting for a female bumblebee to emerge so he can mate. Male carpenter …
Yes, very hot light bulbs or light fixtures will kill bees on impact. Bees are attracted to light much like other flying insects via an innate positive phototactic response. This response increases considerably as the bee reaches maturity. The short video below shows the extreme reaction bees have to sources of light: Why are bees …
Black and yellow stripes on insects often indicate one of two things. Either the insect is equipped with a toxic bite or sting or it will taste particularly unpleasant when consumed by predators. While not all bees are black and yellow there are several species that display black and yellow stripes to warn potential predators. …
Yes, bees are attracted to urine’s mineral and salt content because their floral diet lacks these two key ingredients. Soiled water or urine can be a nutritional supplement for bees providing well-needed vitamins. This process is called Mud Puddling, relating to any insect that uses waste moisture to gain amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. While …
Mason bee or in some cases, mortar bee is the commonly used name for the bee species Osmia of the family Megachilidae. Bees included under the mason bee genus are the horn-faced bee, the blueberry bee, the red mason bee and the orchard mason bee. What do they look like? They are typically shades of …
Bees are normally calculated foragers with a unified goal and a strict schedule. So why are some of the hive’s inhabitants bumping into trees, getting lost, walking around in circles or simply unable to fly? Why do bees act drunk? Bees really are drunk Simply put, they’re plastered, smashed, paralytic or any other word you …
Unlike reptiles, bees are unable to regrow their wings after they’ve been lost or damaged. Due to the large populations of bee colonies and the speed they reproduce the need to regenerate wings and limbs never played a part in their evolution. Can you help a bee with lost or damaged wings? If you find …
Why do you find bees with no wings? We take a closer look at some of the reasons you might be finding bees with missing wings. Why am I finding bees without wings? The main reason you find bees with no wings is an RNA virus named Deformed wing virus, often called DWV. The Deformed …
Bees are wonderful creatures, a vital part of our ecosystem and the key to maintaining balance in the natural world. Unfortunately, continued human expansion is removing more green space every year and bee populations are declining. Thankfully, you can do something simple to help, by building your own bee hotel in your garden. When we …
A healthy honeybee colony can have as many as 50,000-60,000 individuals and in 2017 the UK government estimated the number of hives at 247,000. That means there could be as many as 1.23 million honeybees in the UK, however, the number is likely to be much less than this. The fate of British bees is …
You have probably heard the phrase ‘busy as a bee’ and this comes directly from the intricate and fast-paced lives of a bee colony. The inner workings of a bee hive are key to bee survival and it can make or break a colony. Conditions need to be just right to support the entire colony, …
Bees are famous for producing honey, but they also produce and build with honeycomb. Not all bees produce honey so which species do? How do bees make honeycomb? What is the purpose of honeycomb? Keep reading to learn the answer to these questions and more! What Is Honeycomb? Honeycomb is a natural product produced by …
Springtime is marked by the arrival of bees, wasps and butterflies. Many people find these critters annoying or even frightening, but they play a vital role in the health of their ecosystem and also in the success of the world’s food production Bees are pollinators, meaning many crops rely on them for fertilisation. Without bees, …
Nobody likes being caught out by rain, but for bees, a downpour is potentially life-threatening. Bees are capable of short flights during a light drizzle of rain, but a heavier rain shower is a definite problem. Therefore, it is important that you know how to save a drowning or wet bee. Bees have very fine …
The carpenter bee is one of over 220 solitary bee species in the UK. They are so-called thanks to their nesting behaviours; carpenter bees burrow into softwood to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, as humans expand into rural areas, carpenter bees are more frequently building their nests in the sidings of homes and this can cause …
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When you find a tired bee in your home, it’s probably exhausted from flying around looking for nectar and pollen all day. If so, you’re probably wondering what to feed a bee? Feed the poor insect with a fresh sugar water solution to give them their strength back! To make this simple solution for an …
