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Bee attention.

Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,576
in Wildlife gardening
Many people are scared of bees, but I'm pretty sure you lovely lot are exceptions, so here's a question for you;
Do you attract bees? By which I mean, do you seem to get bees 'coming to say hello' as it were, and really really reluctant to leave your hand if you offer it?

I'm aware some of you are going to pat my head and smile sympathetically, lol, but when I lived in Wales, I'd walk the moors aimlessly (on purpose), and if I couldn't get my bearings, I'd ask for the bees' help. Within a minute or so, a bee would fly towards my head, and off in whichever direction was towards home, I'd follow and it never failed! So if you're a bee-ee and you're ever lost... 
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  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,174
    Well it used to be considered important to tell a beekeeper's bees when their caretaker had passed away. Traditions usually have a purpose that's been forgotten.
    The last Terry Pratchett book was very moving in this respect too.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,576
    edited October 2022
    It did indeed! 
    Yeah OH is a big Terry Pratchett fan, he told me about riding bees earler. 😄
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,264
    Hi @wild edges,

    That still happens.
    A bee keeping friend of ours died last summer. A great guy who had been keeping bees for over 60 years. He was always the "go to" person for advice.
    There was standing room only at his funeral.

    He knew he was dying, and spent the last year of his life mentoring a young beekeeper who would be taking over most of his bees. 
    She invited us all over to her first solo inspection of the hives which had been his, and said addressed a few words to the bees. It was so very moving, and most of us owned up to a tear or two behind our bee veils.

    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 804
    Where do bumble bees go for Winter and why are some not making it there?
    I ask as I was finding a few just static and unable to move much last week, I assumed they were too cold maybe? I lifted what I found into the end of the PT where it was warm then left the door open. 
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 768
    edited October 2022
    The honeybee tradition is definitely still going - the Queen's bees were informed of her death, it was in the news, first time I'd heard of it.
    @MikeOxgreen bumblebees all die off in the winter with the exception of the queen who hibernates with eggs ready for the next year.
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 804
    Oh  :/
    Thanks for your reply, it is a bit sad, but is nature!
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 768
    Yes they're not very long lived - Mason bees that nest in the tubes spend most of their life cycle as an egg or pupa. I think they're classed as living for about a year, but they're only out flying for a few weeks.
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 804
    Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise  :)
    One had a silver tip at the end of its body and was a bit smaller than a big bumble, would you know what that was?
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,576
    @Bee witched that's a beautiful story. ❤
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,576
    I had another one appear at my feet today, definitely on his way out. I gave him honey and a safe place to rest.

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