bee at the entrance to nest in burrowed wood

Do Bees Eat Wood? (Answer Explained)

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 …

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a bee flying at night

What do bees do 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 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 …

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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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managing hives using a beekeepers jacket

Beekeeping Suits vs Beekeeping Jackets, What’s Best For You?

Beekeeping suits provide full-body protection from stings, beekeeping jackets cover your torso and arms with a normally detachable hoof that fastens onto the collar of the jacket. Both will stop the majority of stings but are not 100% sting-proof. Beginning your journey as a beekeeper can be a daunting task. Selecting the right hives, the …

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bumblebee collecting pollen

Bumblebee Gifts For Friends & Loved Ones

Looking for the perfect bumblebee-themed gift for a friend or loved one? We’ve scoured the internet to create our extensive list for every budget and occasion. Let’s dive straight in with the best bumblebee gifts inspired by our furry, buzzing friends. Bumblebee Gifts For Any Occasion Here’s our carefully selected range of unique, thoughtful gifts …

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territorial bumblebee

Are bumblebees territorial?

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 …

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what are bee bombs

What are bee bombs?

Bee bombs are small spheres created by mixing together soil, clay and a range of seeds. Bee bombs in particular focus on a range of seeds rich in nectar and pollen to try and provide resources for bees and other pollinators. Bee bombs, often referred to as seed bombs or bee balls have become very …

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aphid eating tree sap

Do bees eat aphids?

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 …

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a bee and an ant on a flower

Do bees eat ants?

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 …

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stingless bees collecting pollen and nectar

Everything You Need To Know About The Stingless Bee

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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solitary mining bee

Do bees hibernate in the ground?

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 …

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can bees sting you through clothes

Can bees sting through clothes?

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 …

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bee farting mid air

Do bees fart?

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 …

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bumblebee hover in one spot

Why Do Bumblebees Hover In One Spot?

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 …

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can light bulbs kill bees

Can light bulbs kill bees?

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 …

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bee with black and yellow stripes

Why are bees black and yellow?

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. …

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bee drinking pee

Are Bees Attracted To Urine?

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 …

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why do bees act drunk

Why do bees act drunk?

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 …

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can bees grow their wings back

Can Bees Grow Their Wings Back?

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 …

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different areas of a bee hotel

Build Your Own Bee Hotel

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 …

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honeybee foraging for nectar image

Population of Honeybees in the UK

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 …

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the inner working of a hive

The Inner Workings Of A Bee Hive

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, …

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bees making honeycomb in the hive

How Do Bees Make Honeycomb?

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 …

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golden northern bee watercolour on an orange background

Which Fruits Do Bees Pollinate?

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, …

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buff tail bumblebee on a dark red background

What To Feed A Tired, Thirsty Bee?

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 …

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honeybee on a dark green background

Honeybees And Their Habitat

Honeybee History Honeybee species first appeared during the Cretaceous period, which began approximately 450 million years ago and ended 60 million years ago. At that time, the layout of the world was vastly different, as were honeybees and their habitat. Australia, India, Antarctica, Africa and South America were one large supercontinent called Gondwana. The climate …

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watercolour Blue banded bee on a blue background

What Do Bees Do In Summer

Everyone knows that bee season starts in spring, but the action really ramps up in early summer. What do bees do in summer that they can’t do the rest of the year? Quite a bit! Everything from climate control to nest maintenance, food production, and caring for young, summer is the busiest time of year …

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watercolour honeybee on orange background

The Lifecyle of the Honeybee

The Lifecycle of the Honeybee Whether you are just starting out as a beekeeper or you are simply interested to learn about these buzzing beauties, the lifecycle of the honeybee will certainly captivate your curiosity. In the beekeeping profession, bees are often referred to as castes. A caste is a group of individuals of the …

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dual tone bee on green and orange background

What Do Bees Symbolise?

When we think about bees and what they symbolise, there are many different aspects of life to consider. Almost every part of our existence can be symbolic of a bee’s nature, the way they live or how they work. What a bee symbolises can have a profound effect on every part of our life, from …

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