bumble bee's.????

[RicW 67]

Honey bees are threatened by the varroa mite. They seem to be developing resistance to them so fingers crossed they may get through this. Beedle bums, as I used to call them, are threatened by general loss of their food plants. They are a "Keystone" species. I'm not going to get into all the details here, but basically if bumble bees die off we won't be far behind them. If you want the sordid details, pm me. Meantime keep planting the clover.

 

Ric

[RicW 67]

I've been asked to put this up, so here goes. Bumble bees, or beedle bums as I like to call them, are threatened by loss of their food plants due to monoculture agriculture and over use of sprays. The only plants which can fix nitrogen in the soil are the legumes, peas and beans, and clover. Yet all plants need nitrogen in the soil. The only insects which pollinate legumes are bumble bees. So we get no bumbles = no legumes = no plant growth = no crops = a lot of very hungry people.

 

There were 16 species of bumbles in the UK. We have managed to drive one species extinct and they are all threatened to some extent.

 

The situation is much more complex than I have said, but they really are "keystone". If they go, the whole arch topples.

 

Any way, they're cute! I can get one to walk onto my hand, and then I stroke its fur until it goes to sleep. I once had 11 all snoozing happily on my hand and arm. Showed my next door neighbour and he damn near shat himself. Ran indoors screaming "Get them away from me." I got the impression he didn't share my feelings.

 

Ric

Edited May 26, 2010 by RicW

[Giro 2,648]

Next time you get a few a kip on your hand ric take a picture.. I am shite scared of them lol..

 

Cheers for info..

[John Keswick 119]

The only plants which can fix nitrogen in the soil are the legumes, peas and beans, and clover. Yet all plants need nitrogen in the soil. The only insects which pollinate legumes are bumble bees.

 

 

Where do you think the best tasting honey comes from? Clover!!!!

 

Honey bees pollinate all the plants you have just mentioned and there billions more of them.

 

Sorry, but if all the bumble bees died tommorow, it would make much difference, if the honey bees die...

[RicW 67]

John - DON'T SHOUT!.You are of course correct about the importance of honey bees, and yes they do indeed pollinate clover. But don't fall for the numbers argument. Despite their small numbers beedle bums play a very important role in the natural economy and if they were to die out the effects would be very serious for agriculture. It is the "knock-on effect," or as the Americans called it in the '60s the domino effect.

Oh pooh. I am starting to come on like an eco-freak anti.

 

Ric

[John Keswick 119]

Ric, your weird!!! Which part of my post would lead you to think i was shouting?

 

 

Anyway, your wrong! I am right!

[byron 1,275]

I've been asked to put this up, so here goes. Bumble bees, or beedle bums as I like to call them, are threatened by loss of their food plants due to monoculture agriculture and over use of sprays. The only plants which can fix nitrogen in the soil are the legumes, peas and beans, and clover. Yet all plants need nitrogen in the soil. The only insects which pollinate legumes are bumble bees. So we get no bumbles = no legumes = no plant growth = no crops = a lot of very hungry people.

 

There were 16 species of bumbles in the UK. We have managed to drive one species extinct and they are all threatened to some extent.

 

The situation is much more complex than I have said, but they really are "keystone". If they go, the whole arch topples.

 

Any way, they're cute! I can get one to walk onto my hand, and then I stroke its fur until it goes to sleep. I once had 11 all snoozing happily on my hand and arm. Showed my next door neighbour and he damn near shat himself. Ran indoors screaming "Get them away from me." I got the impression he didn't share my feelings.

 

Ric

it was einstein who said after the bee dies out, within five years man will follow..

ps did not the romans introduce the honey bee to this country??

[RicW 67]

Ric, your weird!!! Which part of my post would lead you to think i was shouting?

 

 

Anyway, your wrong! I am right!

 

You noticed! Actually John, we are both right. Honey bees are vitally important but so are beedle bums.

 

Giro - will do.

 

Ric