Where are the Bees Wasps Flies and Nats

Leave the bees alone John, they are becoming an endangered species!

The old nest might just have become time expired, then the bees, if it was bees swarm. Sometimes they leave a residue to form another hive, sometimes they all move on. You do need enough flower to encourage the bees, I was shocked to see some out in early February. We have a Mahonia that was in flower back then. A few of the largest bees I have ever seen were harvesting the nectar. I do not think they were honey bees possibly bumblebees or solitary bees. We have regularly had wasps nests in the roof, the largest was about 2 feet high and five~6 feet wide and a similar depth. We have the pest man on speed dial.

The bridleway along which I like to walk the dogs has been pretty well covered in butterflies recently. With  one or other of our daughter’s medium sized, but strong dogs to distract me there is not a whole lot of time to concentrate on the insect life, but I would be surprised if there were not half a dozen different types and likely more. What I am pleased about is not seeing too many horseflies, if they bite me I am in trouble. The last time I was attacked my leg swelled up and went an unnatural colour, the swelling never fully went down again. I thought about going out early today but stopped for breakfast first, one of the dogs was unwell in the night and feels very sorry for herself curled up in the basket with the other one crammed in for company, their choice not mine, this morning. When we had our old Labrador there would often be three of them piled in together on top of each other.

Lots of bees are in my neighbour’s house across the Close, she has the Pest people in. Also in our Close is a huge wasp nest in a big old Sycamore tree, which has been there since at least 2003 when we moved here. I asked everyone to leave it alone when I found out that wasps in the UK kill millions of tons of other insect pests every year: they eat them before the Queen starts laying, then they paralyse them and put them in the cells with the wasp grubs, to feed on over winter. Most of the adults then die off and a new batch are hatched out in late Spring, after feeding and developing well from the paralysed insects. Wasps are fascinating, without them we would have a serious insect problem, but I still stay clear of them and don’t annoy them, have been stung before. Their sting can be reused up to 20 times, it’s just a hollow tube with a sharpened end. Bees have a barb and die after each sting, so it’s a last resort. Both stings leave pheromones in the stung area, which attracts others from the hive to attack as well.

Ants and wasps share a common ancestor from hundreds of millions of years ago: look at their body shapes. We get flying ants every year, a bonanza for the hundreds of sparrows and starlings around here.

The midges and horseflies are in my garden! They know I am here, and want to get to know me better.

I pick my damsons last week in August/first week in September (Manx Grand Prix time) and I am careful not to pop a damson in my mouth without ensuring no wasp attached. They are usually there in there hundreds. However, two years ago I never saw a single wasp whilst I picked close on 30kg.

A decent looking crop this year, all still green. I really enjoy eating damsons as I pick them. Picking them is an art. Dark blue with a characteristic appearance, a sort of thin white sheen. Superb taste.

Les.

My FiL grows apples, peaches, plumbs and raspberrys. His yields are usally big. I like to sit and watch drunk bees. From the fallen plums. Anyhow, this year, he has next to nothing.

He only had one bush tree of each, but not have done anything this year. First summer using the late 80s when he moved in and adopted them.

My poor Roses are suffering in the heat that finally reached us last Friday and has got hotter very day. Rear arbor Yellows and Reds are just doing nothing after a fine show in Spring, now nothing, but new growth showing higher up the arbor. Front massive Peach blooms, size of dinner plates and heavily scented, are dying off in a couple of days. Whites are OK and bloom all year, often in November/December. Pics of Front roses, not doing as well as last year when they covered the wall top to bottom:

This Year:

Last Year:

“This Year”, was taken before today’s work: the water butt you can see, was the cause of about 4 hours of work and Bodgeification today. After much nagging reminding from SWMBO, regarding leaks and an almost-empty butt due to no rain, I set about sorting it out, as I felt great today (didn’t last: 4 hours later I collapsed into the sofa). I cannot get the parts for this old (just 7 years from B&Q) butt system now, they have stopped doing Legacy parts online. So I have had to put together bits from 3 different butt systems and the pipe is around the front now. Which is where I wanted it when I fitted it 7 years ago, butt hey ho, needs must when SWMBO drives. I cleaned out all the krap, disinfected it, hosed it out to get rid of the bleach several times, put sweet water in up to the ¼line. I could not replace the ruined top rubber seal around the join between the downpipes, didn’t have another and B&Q don’t stock it anymore. So I taped it, with layers of waterproof Duck Tape, it worked but took ages. Then it took more time to level off with the spirit level, simultaneously getting 3 mountings screwed to the wall via self tappers and rawl plugs, moving the downpipe up/down until it fitted level. Receiving much unhelpful advice from the overseeing SWMBO at the same time. Good job I had a good result from Chemo yesterday, but the butt now works and no leaks, is level. I have replaced 1.3 Kilos in weight, waist is still shrinking but muscle definition is coming back. I am exercising muscles every day. Put on the shorts that still fitted before the op, today. They fell down straightaway, fortunately I was in the bedroom and subjected to only SWMBO’s amusement. Some women would have just admired my new slimmer physique…? ? ? ?  lolz.

A warm couple of warm late Winter days started all  the buds to open, then this was followed by the  ‘Beast from the East’. As a result the insect population was decimated and 90% of the buds and flowers never got pollinated or dropped early. I suspect outdoor fruit crops will be low in this area.

We are currently more or less wasp free this year* and have not seen any hornets, though bees have been abundant. While wasps are a mixed blessing in that they can do some useful work in the earlier part of the year, when they get older and more cranky so do the risks of their activities increase. For those who suffer anaphylaxis, those risks are uncomfortably close to fatal ones. Drunk EOL wasps are  a total nightmare as I wrote earlier, it is best to gather up fallen fruit and dispose of it, ASAP in the early morning, before the wasps are warmed up and prowling for a fix.

*The wasps also like to nest in our roof, not seeing them so far this year is an added bonus as my wife’s sensitivity to stings and similar stimuli has reached danger level with a pair of Epipens her constant companion. Her chemo is a right is cocktail of added steroids and anti allergy brews before, during and after the chemo runs.

If a hornet attack situation developed again I think that hornet capture or even hornet destruction would not be top of the action list, but Epipen activation and either immediate evacuation or ambulance summoning.

As for drunk wasps, they do come in all types from almost sober, best avoided through the drunk and raring for a fight to the almost comatose and probably not long for this life. The drunk but fight ready are the ones to watch out for as the others can usually be blocked or dodged.

It has been a mega trying day all round. Daughter was due to start on a course today. I duly delivered her on time, 35 minutes later I had to pick her up again. I still have no idea why her wheels came off but after sedation and a sleep she has slightly recovered some composure. A visit from her care worker followed by a telephone call from the course coordinator completed the afternoon.