Bees seem HUGE this year ?!

[GaaaaarlicBread]

Just sat in the garden and I’ve seen three different bees buzzing round and they look like they’ve been on steroids !! I saw one the other day and thought it looked big but assumed it was a queen bee or a one off biggun but no!
Anyone else noticed?! Not an important question but felt the need to share my observation , they scare me as I’m allergic and it’s ruining my ‘feet up and enjoy pregnancy’ vibe in the sun 🤣

@mumsnet feel free to leave it in relationships as everyone is actually so kind about my mistake and it made @bedtimebrew happy 🤣

beesness

Yes! I first noticed about four weeks ago. A huge one kept trying to get into my bedroom through the window.

About 3 days later I woke up to a really loud buzzing and when we pulled back the curtain there was a huge bee INSIDE the room!

I like to think it was the same one who refused to be thwarted!

If you dissolve some sugar in water and put it on a teaspoon they will drink it with their long tongues.

Don't use honey, they can catch bee diseases from it.

saisong I thought it was the other way round? But yes bumble bees can definitely sting 😭

I haven't noticed any particularly big ones, my parents always have huge ones in their garden though. They made a right racket when they fly into the window.

I might have misunderstood the previous post, but you shouldn't feed bees sugar water unless they look poorly and need the boost.

They do freak me out a little when they're around but tbf they are just going about their business so-to-speak. I hope that we see a resurgence as bees are critical to us.

They're probably queens searching for a nest (zig zag motion) or gathering things for one they've found.

We have had lots of big bees too.
They keep coming into the conservatory and can’t find their way out. Why is that - can they not ‘sniff’ the fresh air and follow it to the door?
How do I help them to find their way out?

I find that wasps also leave you alone if you don't panic and try to hit them.

I haven't seen bigger bumble bees (yet) just the Queens, but have seen a variety of different bees, including a bright ginger one. We get bees nesting under our shed and then the ants take over and that is it, but they try every year.

Yes, we have noticed this, huge and a lot of them, also larger wasps and loads if different butterflies. My little girl cat can't stop chasing them, she does not learn and this week has been stung twice, once by a bee and 2 days later by wasps, result, irritation by bee, very swollen paw with wasps she had to have medication for wasp stings

I've noticed them too in central Scotland. Your thread has made me wonder if less pollution is improving their health.

Every cloud have a silver lining.

They feel JUST how you'd hope they feel @GaaaaarlicBread - less pompom though I'd say more like rough velvet if they makes sense?!? If you want to make sure you plant for bumbles when you do your garden up, this is an awesome tool (you can tick 'superfoods' to see plants that are especially good to feel bumblebees - as well as other pollinators). They really are amazing insects ... for example, did you know they are the only insect who can 'buzz pollinate' - so their wings beat so fast that they pollinate just using their wing beats! www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bee-faqs/buzz-pollination/

And whilst they will take sugar water, it's best to move them and leave them before you give it to them : www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bee-faqs/Should-I-feed-bumblebees-sugar-water/

here endeth todays bumblebee lesson ;-)

Bees are fine, love the little fluffy yellow things! Wasps however are kill on site (if I’m indoors), not getting near my kitty with that stinger.
Nasty things, seen them attacking caterpillars before and I saved my bunny from one, it was going to sting her, really going for it.

I love feeding tired bees sugar water, BoreOfWhabylon! Absolutely a pleasure to see them perk up and fly off, fed about 3 last year.

And yes, DH a I noticed a huge fluffy bee nosing about walls a few times last week, it was easily as big as a thumb 3/4 black and the other 1/4 a deep orange butt.

Aggh, missed the bumblebee planting tool: here's some general advice: www.bumblebeeconservation.org/gardeningadvice/
And here's the specific tool: beekind.bumblebeeconservation.org

Noticed them and a lot more of them.

I wonder if they are thriving and enjoying less pollution because of the lockdown?

They're so important for pollination. I'm afraid of their little stingy butts but appreciate their beauty and value.

I've not seen many bumblebees but we are overrun with honey bees. There were 5 in our conservatory yesterday. I quite like them though, they are very gentle and happy to be guided out of the window or the door, they don't seem to get angry. Even DS1 seems to be ok with them.

I hate wasps though. They are twats. I'm hoping the abundance of honey bees will keep the wasps away, I'm not sure why it would though!

I noticed them too. The little fuckers stung me on the shoulder and it hurt like hell.

I do think maybe it’s the lack of pollution actually , I just mentioned it to my mum when she rang and she said they’re enjoying the lack of cars 🤣

Yes absolutely bloody huge with a penchant for wandering into the house this year!

I was going to say, how interesting, how does a relationship with a bumblebee work for you.

It's lovely to read such a thread on here.

I saw 2 yesterday and they were both huuuge...so fat!

Here is a chart of luffly bees .

This thread has actually made me really love bees , especially that photo @trumpton , how cute !

I love them! And yes I've seen some massive ones lately! So fluffy