There must be more hives in town. My garden is full of not only the wild bees that we always have lots of but lots of honey bees too. :-D It is fun going out among the flowers and be surrounded by humming, buzzing insects Could only get 3bees on film...guess I won't make a nature photographer ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) Lots of bumble bees too, and where'd the mason bees go? ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )
Now Jewell... How do you tell the difference between the two kinds of bees? I was recently over to a friends house who keeps bees. I thought she was going to ask me if I wanted to go visit the bees.... something I would say if you were at my house, "Want to go visit the greenhouse?" Well, I kept changing the subject when she brought up bees... I didn't want to go see them.... I was afraid of them. I never thought you could tell the difference in them... Maybe I should learn a little about them, from afar... LOL BTW, Those flowers look great....
I saw a honey bee yesterday, I was quite pleased Got plenty of Carpenter Bees too (I dislike them, theyve drilled into our porch railing!)
Barb, Here are a couple of great sites with photos and a little info on bees you might see in your garden. Although orchards depend on honeybees being moved in at critical blooming times, as a home with a few fruit trees local bees are my main pollinators. We have lots of bumble bees and quit a few of the other types too. http://greatpollinatorproject.org/pollinators/bees/bee-types http://greatpollinatorproject.org/pollinators/bees/bee-types Hope you enjoy some of the bees in your neighborhood. Bip, sorry to hear about your porch damage. We have lots of dead branches that they use.
There's no difference between "wild" honeybees and those who are hived by a beekeeper. Both are very gentle and very intent on gathering nectar and pollen, not intent on stinging. Mason bees are solitary bees, but pollinate crops, too. You don't see beekeepers hauling mason bees around because they don't do honeycombs, and they don't live communally (hence the "solitary"). Jewell, those honeybees have found a marvelous cafeteria in your garden. Tasty and lovely, too!
We seem to always have a good supply of bees around. There's one big fat bumble bee that just loves to dive bomb me.
