Bees

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.

Buzz Pollination

Buzz Pollination: The Rock Concert of the Plant World

Buzz pollination might be a new term for you, but if you’ve relished blueberries, cranberries, or peppers, you’ve indirectly benefited from it. These delicious crops owe their fruiting to the diligent work of wild bumblebees and other buzz pollinators. Buzz pollination, also known as sonication, is a unique and fascinating method of pollination that some […]

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Why Is Honey Bad For Bees? (The Surprising Truth)

Honey, the liquid gold bees tirelessly craft, is central to their survival. It’s their lifeline, their winter blanket, and their energy drink. But, intriguingly, this essence of their existence might be harming them simultaneously. *Important note – Feeding a wild bee honey you’ve purchased can introduce nasty diseases and parasites to an otherwise healthy colony

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bee collecting pollen and nectar from a plant

What Do Bees Eat? A Simple Guide

Want a quick breakdown of what bees eat on a day-to-day basis? Most bee’s diets consist of nectar and pollen. Nectar provides a valuable source of carbohydrates, while pollen gives bees all the protein they need to grow and thrive. That’s the simple answer, but there’s so much more to discover about how these interesting

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The Heath Bumblebee

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

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the garden bumble bee

The Garden Bumblebee

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

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tree bumblebee collecting nectar and pollen

The Different Types Of Bumblebee

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

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the leafcutter bee

Leafcutter Bee

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

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a mining bee collecting resources from a flower

The Mining Bee

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

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honeybees collecting pollen from a sunflower

How Do Bees Help Humans?

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

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the early bumblebee collecting nectar and pollen

Early Bumblebee

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

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where do bees go in winter

Where Do Bees Go In The Winter?

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

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tree bumblebee collecting nectar and pollen

The Tree Bumblebee

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?

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white tailed bumblebee taking flight

The White-Tailed Bumblebee

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

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do bees overheat

Do Bees Overheat?

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

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honey bee collecting nectar and pollen forma bee friendly flower

8 Bee-Friendly Flowers We Just Love

Bees spend their days busily buzzing from flower to flower, collecting resources to return to the nest or hive. They use various techniques to quickly identify potential sources of pollen and nectar, land and extract the precious prize. Regarding flowers and bees, not all flowers are equal; some will contain significantly more forage, while others

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a bee flying at night

Do Bees Come Out At Night?

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

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a stingless bee foraging for nectar and pollen

How do stingless bees defend themselves?

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

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are bees attracted to blood

Are bees attracted to blood?

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

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bee collecting nectar and pollen from a flower after heavy rain

Can bees fly in the rain?

Yes, bees will happily take flight on damp days but flying in the rain for long periods or during heavy rain can be dangerous. Bumble bees are more likely to forage during rainy days than other species like the honey bee that will opt to stay inside the hive during wet weather. So how do

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a bee eating dandelions

Do bees eat dandelions?

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

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