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 🤣

I’ve seen some absolute whoppers over the last week or so. I’m amazed they can get off the ground! Also get lots of honey bees in our garden. Found this in May last year. They stayed for 24 hours then buzzed off.

I agree, just saw a bumble bee and it did seem big.

They are enormous!

DH told me one was in the house, before we went to bed, then he got up early. Next morning, I was half awake and thought our boiler was buggered as it was making a really loud noise.

A bee as big as a golf ball slight exaggeration flew past my head, I nearly fainted. The buzz was incredibly loud, has anyone else noticed this about them too?

Yes! One last in my house last weekend sounded like a lancaster bomber and had a proper face.

I'm interested to know you can stroke them. I thought their hairs were spiky and irritated your skin but I think I might be getting mixed up with tarantulas. Or porcupines.

I saw a bald one once - less charming.

It's tarantulas.

Also porcupines.

We've seen quite a few bees this year, and some of the bumble bees have been great furry whoppers.

Massive bees here too.

Massive here too. They’re lovely.

Yep, rural Wales here and bumble bees seem massive this year. And loud!

Yep in sw here and weve seen lots of whoppers this past month, like fuzzy grapes flying around lol.

HUGE amount of hoverflys and lots of strange coloured spiders and different coloured ladybugs.

Anyone know what type of bees these are? I'm guessing I know what's going on...

@APurpleSquirrel they’re the bees I’ve been seeing ! They’re like something from a story book!

Lots of bees and butterflies galore. Mostly butterflies. Nice mild winter.

I think they are Mason or Leafcutter bees there. Solitary, not aggressive.