First Bumble Bee of the season

[Hazelnuts]

Hi there

We went for a long 3 hour walk around Bedford yesterday picking up one or two thing things the shops as you do.

On our way back home, I saw a huge bumble Bee, buzzing around a traffic light. I tried to get a picture, but he was too high up.

Anyone else seen some more more 'out of season' insects around at the moment.

[Lizzielady]

My OH is painting our front gate and when I took him out a cup of tea, there was a bee zooming about. Good sign methinks

[Hazelnuts]

Hi there

I have just remembered that I saw one in our garden this afternoon and it was testing certain plants. Hope that it finds enough food to keep it nourished.

Must keep the camera for any interesting pictures of my own, so I can post on this site, and I will.
May set up the scope along with our camera, as it is jsut the best for photographs.

Look forward to other peoples replies a whole lot. :)

[Pine Marten]

Seen rather a large one in the garden this afternoon. Good to see them.

Pine Marten.

[Kerry L]

I saw my first bumble just before the big freeze, and more just before the snow. There are a few flowers out for them and appear to visit the viburnums, but the ones I have seen are on my winter jasmine just outside my lounge window - where I can see them from my comfy corner by the radiator while slurping coffee! The flies seem to be rather plentiful though, basking in the sun on the windows - not so nice.

[Hazelnuts]

Hi Kerry

Sounds like you enjoy your garden, Kerry.

It just shows that nature is all confused with the seasons of the year. The Bumblebees must be in shock with the snow. Like you, I have seen flies too, though they are very small bluebottles.
I remember seeing a wasp one winter when it was snowing full tilt. i am sure that it did not last long.

I have to admit, I have a thing about flies and food not mixing. I have a large net I cover all my food stuffs so nothing can land on the exposed food. :eek:

[Kerry L]

Haha, I love it more from indoors when it's cold outside!;)
With regard to flies, I have a horrible memory of walking with my husband yonks ago and there were loads buzzing around our heads - it was a terribly hot day. He had the map and waved it above him only to hear a drumming sound as they hit - so then we did the worst thing - we ran, laughing hysterically to get away from them and attracting even more. We then had to close our mouths because they were even in front of our faces even while we ran - ugh! When we came upon a dead sheep covered in the darn things we thought we would lose our escorts - nope, they flew up off the sheep and joined our happy crowd. It is the only time I have covered 4 miles in 20 minutes (I was skinny then)! Still gives me the shivers just thinking about it.:eek:

[Hazelnuts]

Haha, I love it more from indoors when it's cold outside!;)
With regard to flies, I have a horrible memory of walking with my husband yonks ago and there were loads buzzing around our heads - it was a terribly hot day. He had the map and waved it above him only to hear a drumming sound as they hit - so then we did the worst thing - we ran, laughing hysterically to get away from them and attracting even more. We then had to close our mouths because they were even in front of our faces even while we ran - ugh! When we came upon a dead sheep covered in the darn things we thought we would lose our escorts - nope, they flew up off the sheep and joined our happy crowd. It is the only time I have covered 4 miles in 20 minutes (I was skinny then)! Still gives me the shivers just thinking about it.:eek:

hi Kerry

That is a great story, and a good example, why most people do not like flies.

I remember last year walking around Rutland Water which is a Reserve close to me, and my heart, and seeing a swarm of Blackflies coming towards me. I felt myself scratching for the rest of the day. I am sure Blackflies give you a nip if they feel like it. :eek:

I am scratching thinking about it. :eek:

[Jandy]

I think Scotland in Aug/Sept is the worst for flies. Many years ago we were walking around a beautiful loch near Inverness, and the midges completely ruined it for me. I think of my whole family I was the one they most went for!

[Hazelnuts]

I think Scotland in Aug/Sept is the worst for flies. Many years ago we were walking around a beautiful loch near Inverness, and the midges completely ruined it for me. I think of my whole family I was the one they most went for!

Hi Jandy

Yes the Scottish Midges have a fearsome reputation. They can pack in a bite, and because they are so small they can get anywhere on your body. The imagination boggles :eek:

My OH and I went to the Scottish West Coast to Gairloch one year - May time, and we where eaten alive. I remember my face and eye lids being badly bitten, and it was really sore for a while.

Best time to visit Scotland is the months away from Midges season
So May until August is off the agenda if you want an enjoyable holiday at all in the Scottish countryside.

Yes, they like the East Coast of Scotland too, though the West coast is much damper so they thrive there in their thousands.

[Hazelnuts]

hi there

Yet another Bumble Bee was around our garden yet again.

Yes, no camera in my pocket. So no picture. Must make a habit of putting the camera in my pocket at all times now.

Any one else had any luck. :D

[Lizzielady]

We have had a couple of bumble bees floating around our garden this week. I am on the South Coast so I think we are a little warmer than anywhere else.

[Hazelnuts]

I had one big bumble bee in my garden today. I wish once more I had my camera in my pocket, Even, Mr Blackie was closer to me than usual

So camera needs a chain attachment to my pocket, when I am in the back garden for any reason :D:D

[jente]

Hi

Another glorious day! Saw a couple of bumble bees yesterday and a butterfly (think peacock but very quick glance). What we do have, is loads of honeybee type insects (no sting as far as I can see) which love basking in the sun on my daughter's bright blue sand pit lid. Quite a few are getting caught out by the cold and there seems to be a growing pile of corpses. They aren't doing anything just sitting there so not entirely sure what is going on.
Enjoy the day. Hope it is as glorious wherever you are.
Jente

[Hazelnuts]

I had one big bumble bee in my garden today. I wish once more I had my camera in my pocket, Even, Mr Blackie was closer to me than usual

So camera needs a chain attachment to my pocket, when I am in the back garden for any reason :D:D

Yet another Bumble so now the camera will be kept in my pocket in my back garden. There are some flowers for them to buzz to and from. So that will be what they are after. :)

Seen some mighty big ones this year so far. Let it be a good year for them. :)

[Hazelnuts]

The first Wasp sighting yesterday, and one we had to remove from our house.

Prefer Bees anyday. :)

[Jenny]

Hi Jandy

Yes the Scottish Midges have a fearsome reputation. They can pack in a bite, and because they are so small they can get anywhere on your body. The imagination boggles :eek:

My OH and I went to the Scottish West Coast to Gairloch one year - May time, and we where eaten alive. I remember my face and eye lids being badly bitten, and it was really sore for a while.

Best time to visit Scotland is the months away from Midges season
So May until August is off the agenda if you want an enjoyable holiday at all in the Scottish countryside.

Yes, they like the East Coast of Scotland too, though the West coast is much damper so they thrive there in their thousands.

I never got a midgie bite last year and I'm on Mull! Seriously, we've taken the advice of the forestry workers and get a certain product you put on your skin that deters the female midgie (and I'm not talking the beer slops that deter sandflies and clegs! :eek:) I'm truly sorry for folks who do react badly to the midgie bite - I had one lady in the shop last year who did and rang the doc - she was told to go straight up and the doc gave her an injection, cream and tablets and 24 hours later, plus some advice as to what not to do, this lady was much, much better. So if you do get a reaction - see a local doc or ask the local pharmacy or even a local! The good news this year is that we've had a hard winter - less midgies - and I'd not put off going somewhere I wanted to see on that basis - let's face it, some of the jabs we get when going abroad have pretty horrendous results.

[Jenny]

Back to bumble bees, as mentioned in previous post, it's been a hard winter. However, doing Eagle Watch - we have 10 pairs of white tailed eagles now sitting - this afternoon, there were 9 huge bees - all different colourations (sorry, still haven't sorted my bee species out!) - buzzing around.

It was an exciting two hours on Eagle Watch this afternoon: both adult parents visible with a changeover on the nest; one immature white tail and a mature Goldie; a buzzard making a kill not 20 feet in front of me and a female hen harrier quartering the field next to me for several minutes!

[Hazelnuts]

We have been for a lot of Nature walks recently and have seen lots of insects buzzing around us including Wasps, Hornets and insects of all types.

Butterflies are the best though, though with Bees it is a bit touch and go if they stay still for a photograph or too. They are not the most easist to get in the right place at the right time. :)

That is one aspect I look forward to and I will try to add to this thread as it is a thread based on non bird subjects. :) ;)

Thank you
Kathy