Bees, They're Dropping Like Flies...

[sandyRoe]

I noticed a lot of dead bees as I walked the dog this morning. Are these deaths caused by the virus or are there other reasons?

[Zacs-Master]

I noticed a lot yesterday too. Strange.

[flump1]

I have noticed a few as well. I wonder if it is related to an earlier question about bees becoming fatigued and unable to fly in this warm spell ? All very sad.

[EcclesCake]

It's actually turning out to be a very good year for bees!

Were you walking near any hives, if so it is not unusual to find a lot of dead bees around as the virile, young studs boot the elderly and infirm out of the hive.

For a social animal they haven't really grasped caring for the elderly.

[boxtops]

Not round here, eccles :-(

I have a very bee-friendly garden and usually our rambling rose and so on are heaving with honey bees as well as other varieties - this year, we've spotted one honey bee. All the rest have been bumblebees.

[tonyav]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1239224.html

[sandyRoe]

Entire hives of bees dead is no laughing matter. ^

[EcclesCake]

After a very difficult winter and spring my hives are thriving.

And we also have record numbers of bumblebees.

[Milvus]

This is probably normal. Drone (male) bees live 40 - 50 days, workers range from 30 to 120 days. For solitary bees like Mason bees, the males die after mating. Female mason bees have been laying eggs recently. So it could be a mixture of all the above

[tonyav]

sandyRoe
Question Author
Entire hives of bees dead is no laughing matter. ^

I know sandy, I posted that just so you could see that your not the first to notice it.

[themorrigan]

I found about five dead bees in the garden yesterday, though there were around another 10 very busy collecting nectar from my flowers. The dead ones were smaller than the larger 'bumble bees' that were collecting from the flowers. Its always sad to see dead bees.

[Baby_Sham]

http://i41.tinypic.com/15qx8ad.jpg

[themorrigan]

Do no other insects pollinate crops?

[humbersloop]

several, it seems -


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollinator

[Milvus]

Here's some info from the bumblebee conservation trust
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/faqs/finding-dead-bees/

[tonyav]

Wasps aren't doing to well either.
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Animals-and-Nature/Question1261088.html

[Baby_Sham]

Sorry, there was meant to be some wording with that link.
I was going to say, I saw this posted on facebook just the other day, but don't really 'get it'. I dared to question "why" and was met by a load of "seriously?" or "Duh!" comments.

I just didn't get it, and still don't actually. Surely this isn't the case. Surely man can pollinate by hand?

[pixie373]

I've just rescued a big bee from a small spider's web. Spider ran towards it and then ran away again. Don't know which of the three of us was the most scared!

[EcclesCake]

Bees do it for free and much more quickly than any man could.......who would need paying......

[Baby_Sham]

Well yes, I get that.... but... if bee's suddenly became extinct, the whole world wouldn't collapse. Surely?

I have to go cook now, but I am interested in this, so will be back to read some interesting (hopefully) convo later.

[anneasquith]

my dog seems to be ''finding '' lots of bees/wasps lying on the grass/ground this year.