- January 14, 2013…a beautiful warm day brought the bees out to the heather. I saw very few honeybees, but very many bombus Melanopygus (this one) and also Bombus vosnesenskii (yellow-faced bumbles)
Here you can see the pollen release. When the bee gets the nectar, the pollen shoots out.
As she grooms herself with her front legs, you can see what looks to be a static electricity charge on her bee fuzz…it shows up better on the video.
This short video shows a bumblebee (bombus Melanopygus) sipping nectar from heather in mid January. As she sips, pollen can be seen shooting out. Later she grooms herself. I noticed what looked to be a static electricity charge when her front legs combed her fuzzy head.
I didn’t want to interrupt the music so I added some video of my Bee-atrice log hive which didn’t make it through the sub freezing weather. I looked at a comb which had some capped honey as well as uncapped cells. I replaced the comb in the hopes that this hive will attract a swarm in spring.
It should be raining sideways this month. It’s not. After our cold snap, we’ve been enjoying daytime temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s F. (10’s and 20’s C) When I filmed this it was 71 F. (22 C). Our honeybees love it. They are bringing back yellow and orange pollen. I can’t figure where they’re getting it because the pussy willows aren’t blooming yet, but traffic is heavy as can bee seen on the video.
This is my second winter with bees. They don’t fly when it’s raining of course, but we do get breaks in the rain, the sun pops out and the bees are flying. I feel bad for the beekeepers that must tuck their charges to bed in the autumn and trust they will emerge when the weather warms up sometimes months later. I’m talking about people like Emily Heath among others in cold far away places. 🙂 I guess you could say I’m spoiled to be able to see them active during the winter. I don’t know what will happen in spring. It’s possible we’ll get our rain then…given the choice, I’d rather get it now. In any case the bees are making use of the warm weather.
How are your bees?
Adventures in Natural Beekeeping 
Great videos, Pat! I like the captions too. Glad someone has some winter bugs. 🙂
Thanks, Michael. You seem to have a great supply of bugs too, judging from your many posts and excellent photography.
You have such pretty visitors. Always enjoy your videos.
Thanks, Emily. I was lucky to catch the b. Melanopygus this year. Last year it appeared early, but sort of disappeared in the late spring and summer. It’s such a colorful one with that orange stripe on it’s abdomen.
Absolutely amazing captures and videos Pat. They are all just so beautiful and I love the beehives. Our honeybees are busy here as well and I love to capture them but we have no idea where their nests are. We also don’t use any insecticides on the plants as it will kill them and the ladybugs and other insects/critters that live here. Thanks for sharing. 😀
I’m so glad you don’t use insecticides. So many people don’t realize the harm they do to the insects when they are trying to beautify their lawns and gardens. Yes, poisons are much easier than weeding, but poisons are just flat out not good, for critters or for people. According to Gardens Alive, flame, heat, soap, or vinegar can be used as alternatives to poisons… http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=463
I totally agree with you there. When we moved into this house there wasn’t much insect life. Now even the birds became more because we don’t use anything to kill the insects. The Hadedahs and other birds eats the termites and crickets that damages the lawn, the ladybugs eats the aphids that are on the creeper by the pool and we even have a few dragonflies here and of course, the monkeys love looking under the rocks for crickets and bugs and they eat some of the flowers and berries, so if any insecticides are used, it will harm them as well. I normally used washingpowder with a little bit of vinegar in for the aphids but when I saw the first bees and ladybugs visiting, I became afraid that it might hurt them too. Do you know if it does?
My hair sticks out like the bees hair during the winter time when it is dry and statically. ( I didn’t know there was such a word as … statically. I was sure I was going to get a spell check notice. lol But I didn’t! )
Like the kitty meow at the end of the video. 🙂
With your word smithing abilities, you’ll find a word that perfectly rhymes with “statically.” 🙂
I read your poetry and try to respond with a witty rhyming ditty. As you can see, I’m wildly unsuccessful. You have a gift. Looking forward to reading more.
Your photography is so amazing! I love the shot of the pollen release. WOW!
Are mites present all the time?
Thanks for asking that question. If you read much about beekeeping, you are led to believe that mites (especially varroa mites) are the main problem. “Kill them because they bring disease.” That seemed too simple-minded to me and then I heard Michael Bush talk about the ‘ecosystem of the hive.’ It’s a 7 minute video here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DFKqgWuCBA#t=203
It can also be found in his book, “The Practical Beekeeper,” page 434, “…there are over 32 kinds of mites that live in harmony with the bees. When these are allowed to live (instead of being killed by acaracides) there are insects in the hive that eat them, such as the pseudo-scorpions which also eat the malignant mites.”
“An examination of feral colonies shows just in the macroscopic arena the colony is full of life forms as diverse as mites, beetles, waxworms, ants and roaches.”
I guess that’s one reason why I like the log hives so much. When I set them up, I throw sawdust and leaves in the bottom. That ‘duff’ can absorb moisture and serve as part of the ecosystem of the hive where pill bugs, beetles, ants, and roaches can partake in the ‘mite feast.’
Very interesting. I don’t keep bees myself but you may know that the varroa mite has been devastating to New Zealand bees. Living in NZ as I do, I was so surprised when I realised that you had a different attitude to the mite than the officials do here. This is an education for me.
Trying to decide whether that was grooming or moving the pollen about. Whichever, an interesting close up of a garden pal!
Well…I didn’t know there was a difference. 🙂
Beautiful video of bumblebees enjoying a light snack on a warm January day. I’m intrigued to know more about bumblebees, a shame we can’t ‘keep’ them!
Maybe it’s a good thing. 🙂
🙂
Your videos are great. I really enjoyed watching your bumble bee on the heather. I managed to plant two small plants last year and I am amazed that these ones can thrive on my limy soil. I’ve seen no bees on them yet, though.