Bee Napping

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/870393/

This might explain the napping bees I've been seeing for the last month. They sometimes nap overnight, especially on the tweedia. Maybe Brazilian pollen is stronger than pollen from the U.S.

The bees here stay all night on the ceaneothus. They dearly love it and will chase you away if you stand to close to their plant.

Maybe they like the blue stuff. I so wish I had a good spot for a big ceanothus - Kate has a huge one and I picture it every time you guys refer to yours.

A bunch of honey bees took over a bird house in my backyard. I know they are honey bees because I have spent hours looking at them and figuring out what they are. I have not nailed them down to a species, as all I wanted to know was yellow jacket (no), wasp (no), bumble (no), honey (yes).

They are a pretty docile bunch, not even bothered by my mowing the lawn under the hive. But they are pretty active except for the last several days, I hardly see any activity of the hive in the afternoon. Its very quiet, with maybe 1 bee coming or going every few minutes. Normal activity is more like 10+ entering or leaving the hive a minute.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this hive. I have this love/no love affair with its presence, mostly because I don't want anything bad to happen. I tried calling 2 different bee keepers about it, but got no interest from either. I refuse to kill them, as they pose no real threat, and are providing a service to the flower community.

Rob

Good for you, AD!! I agree - we are in a pollination 'crisis' because we are destroying habitat, so the little pollinators need all the help they can get. My brother has a birdhouse on the side of his house that has been taken over by bees in the last couple of weeks - the spilled pollen on the side of the house is amazing.

Anyway, the bees have been so inconspicuous and gentle that they have been walking right by with their heads only a couple of feet from the box and didn't even notice the activity.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2008/07/01/6033171-sun.html

Lucky you to have a honey bee hive on your property!! Very cool!