Whats up with the bees this year?

[the_only_turek_fan]

Is it just me or are they like 4 times as big as they are supposed to be?

[CaramonLS]

You noticed that too eh? I've seen like 3 or 4 of them, and they've looked like some sort of freak mutant bees. Just HUGE.

[HotHotHeat]

No doubt...It's freaking weird. I got bit by one yesterday...Didn't hurt anymore than the other ones.

[Dan02]

yeah i noticed some rather large ones gathered in the umbrella of my patio set the other day. They seemed pretty tame though.

[MelBridgeman]

nature is cyclical..i can remeber years when they have been huge others when i havent seen any

[Locke]

I think one just flew away with my family pet. Apparently I cant inform PETA or they'll kill my pet for the Bee's safety and then likely kill me for having the audacity to own a pet.

Either way, the bees win.

[Dion]

Had one flying around inside my vehicle this morning while crusing the highway back to High River. I'm terrified of bees and the darn thing landed on my nose. Thank gawd it flew out the window seconds later.

[ken0042]

And what's up with the bees with big orange or brown blotches on their backs? I had only seen that a couple of times before, this year 2 out of ever 3 bees I see are like that. (Or I just keep seeing the same bee all the time.)

[Got Miikka?]

Bees are awesome.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by ken0042

And what's up with the bees with big orange or brown blotches on their backs? I had only seen that a couple of times before, this year 2 out of ever 3 bees I see are like that. (Or I just keep seeing the same bee all the time.)

Stalker Bee? Bad news.

[pope04]

Originally Posted by ken0042

And what's up with the bees with big orange or brown blotches on their backs? I had only seen that a couple of times before, this year 2 out of ever 3 bees I see are like that. (Or I just keep seeing the same bee all the time.)

I'm thinking you're seeing bees infected with mites:


I saw something the other night on good ol' CBC, most likely The Nature of Things.

[Stumptown]

Commercially raised bees are generally larger than their wild counterparts. This is due to the foundation that beekeepers use to start the hive, larger than what the honey bee would build themselves, forcing the larvae to grow larger and produce larger adults. This practice is often cited as one of the causes for colony collapse disorder, though not proven.

Re: orange/brown blotches - could be mites, but most likely pollen.

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by Stumptown

Commercially raised bees are generally larger than their wild counterparts. This is due to the foundation that beekeepers use to start the hive, larger than what the honey bee would build themselves, forcing the larvae to grow larger and produce larger adults. This practice is often cited as one of the causes for colony collapse disorder, though not proven.

Re: orange/brown blotches - could be mites, but most likely pollen.

My wife is an avid gardener and often drags me around the garden abit. I've been seeing the fairly large bumblebees for a couple of years, but they seem to be around all of a sudden this year. I think the cool weather kept them in and now they are trying to catch up. The big orange blotches on the rump (do bees have rumps?) are quite common. I see it all the time. I'm not sure whether it's pollen or simply a colour variation of the bumblebee.

(BTW bumblebees and honeybees are not the same, bumblebees are the big ones and don't have large nests. Bumblebee colonies are quite small. According to wikipedia, the orange is a colour variation)

[nickerjones]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

No doubt...It's freaking weird. I got bit by one yesterday...Didn't hurt anymore than the other ones.

bees are getting so big they are biting OUCH!!!! apparently with their size their I.Q. is getting better as well cause obviously they have found out that by biting us they wont die due to losing their stinger

[Locke]

Say it with me now...

I for one, welcome.....

[Stumptown]

Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour

The big orange blotches on the rump (do bees have rumps?) are quite common. I see it all the time. I'm not sure whether it's pollen or simply a colour variation of the bumblebee.

(BTW bumblebees and honeybees are not the same, bumblebees are the big ones and don't have large nests. Bumblebee colonies are quite small. According to wikipedia, the orange is a colour variation)

Ah, from the rest of the posts I figured we were all talking about the usual honeybees. If they're bumblebees with red/orange, they're most likely Tricolored Bumblebees (Bombus ternarius). Fairly common throughout NA, and I've noticed they seem to be concentrated in certain areas. They're about the only kind I ever see at my father-in-law's place out in a heavy agriculture area, but only ever see a few around town (though there was at least one resident in my garden this spring).

[Dion]

Originally Posted by nickerjones

bees are getting so big they are biting OUCH!!!! apparently with their size their I.Q. is getting better as well cause obviously they have found out that by biting us they wont die due to losing their stinger

Odd. I was outdoors for most of the afternoon and never got bitten once. For sure they were flying around - i just make sure i don't agitate them

[Ford Prefect]

Oh No ... The Bees From Barry Bonds' Garden Have Cross Bred With The Bees From Roger Clemens' Garden!!!!!!

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by ken0042

And what's up with the bees with big orange or brown blotches on their backs? I had only seen that a couple of times before, this year 2 out of ever 3 bees I see are like that. (Or I just keep seeing the same bee all the time.)

Actually it's due to the bees doing hookers and blow all winter, they picked up a few diseases along the way.

[BlackArcher101]

Bees are the bane of my existence.