When talking to people about #bumblebees (which we do a lot!😊) they tend to mistakenly associate them with two things; honey and stings. We’ve covered the honey fallacy before so here’s a thread on stings to set the record straight Please #retweet for the bumbles.
Thanks.
1/11
#Bumblebees have the capability to sting for sure but being the docile gentle creatures they are they don’t like to use this capability - it’s their nuclear option! The ability to sting is a defence mechanism to defend their nest and themselves if they are being…
2/11 #bees
…persistently aggravated.
In fact #bumblebees have an early warning system which they deploy to try to avoid stinging you if at at all possible. We call this ‘the back off buddy’ system.
If you encounter/approach a bumblebee on a flower or perhaps on the ground or on your…
3/11
…window cill her first and preferred reaction is to fly away. To escape. To put some distance between you. Sometimes however if the #bumblebee is tired, low on energy or injured she may not be able to fly away immediately so you may have noticed in this scenario she will…
4/11
…raise her middle leg. This is her warning to you to keep out of her space. You’re too close, she feels threatened - back off buddy! If you move away she’ll lower her middle leg. All good.
If however you persist in aggravating her (which begs the question why would you?)
5/11
…she will often raise her other middle leg as well. So both middle legs raised is sending you a stronger message - seriously dude back off! Again if you move away the situation is resolved. At all times she will fly away if this is an option for her.
If you continue still…
6/11
to aggravate her - you’re not looking too good in this scenario - she will often flip over onto her back, belly up. This is not a display of submission but rather she is showing you her stinger in a final attempt to get you to back off - this is what I’ve got and if you…
7/11
…don’t back off I’m going to have to use it! And it will hurt!
And possibly more than once as bumblebees unlike honeybees have smooth stingers which they can use again and again - they don’t die when they sting!
Male #bumblebees will display the exact same behaviour.
8/11
However they are the ultimate bluffers. Only female bumblebees - queens and workers - can sting. Males cannot sting and do not have a stinger!
So you see #bumblebees are genuinely docile creatures. They only sting in self defence and even at that it is a last resort.
9/11
So don’t associate #bumblebees with stinging. Rather associate them with #flowers, #wildflowers and the wealth of #food they provide to us through pollination. Associate them with a healthy vital #planet.
And when you see that leg raise - #backoffbuddy!
10/11
Terms and Conditions:
Please Note -
Bumblebee stings can cause anaphylactic shock if you are allergic to them. Always seek medical advise immediately if you notice symptoms.
It’s that time of year again.
What time you ask?
#Bumblebees sleeping on/in #flowers time of year we reply.
Lots of people asking us why?
Here’s a quick (long)🙄 thread explaining what’s going on.
Please #retweet/#share so more are more informed.
Thanks good people.
#bees
1/16
Spoiler alert:
To sleep on a flower may appear romantic and #magical but the reality can seem more tragic than magic for the bumblebees involved.
Flower sleeping #bumblebees are primarily males.
They don’t have a father.
Once mature, males leave the nest and never return.
2/16
They spend their short lives seeking sugar and a mate.
Most don’t get to mate.
Those that do never meet their offspring.
No male has a son.
Oh and they can’t sting!
#Bumblebees sometimes sleep/overnight on flowers. And for a number of reasons including getting caught out…
3/16
Forget the elephant in the room. Let’s talk about the #bumblebees in the box.
A thread on the commodification of bumblebees to produce your #food.
The numbers.
Why it’s bad for wild #bees
How they kill them when they’re no longer of use.
Please #share
#Retweet
#ForBees
1/14
Spoiler alert:
#Bumblebees artificially produced to pollinate food crops.
Industry worth 100’s of millions of euros.
Poorly regulated.
Traded across continents.
Bees escape into the wild.
Spread #disease.
Breed with native #bees.
Suffocated when no longer of use.
2/14
The ‘mass production’ of bumblebee colonies for pollination services began in the 80’s.
By 2004 over 1 million commercially produced #bumblebee colonies were being produced annually. Latest figures put this at 2 million colonies being produced and traded across continents…
3/14
‘Are these very small #bumblebees we’re seeing out foraging of late (May/early June) a specific species?’
A good question.
Thanks for asking us.
Here’s a brief thread to explain these diminutive beauties.
Please #retweet/#share with your crew.
For the small bumblers.
🙏🏼🐝 1/9
Spoiler Alert: They’re the first brood of worker #bumblebees and they’re all female!
These small bumblebees that you may have seen fitting snuggly into a buttercup as they forage over the past while, very often - depending on species - are in appearance mini versions… 2/9
…of the larger queens that you may have seen out foraging and house hunting in early spring.
Shortly after establishing their nest these queens will have laid their first batch of eggs which they then sit on to incubate & when hatched provide food for. Depending on species.. 3/9
We’ve had a number of enquiries lately from people worried about having a bumblebee ‘hive’ in their garden.
‘Are they dangerous?’
‘Should I have them removed?’
‘Will they be there forever?’
Here’s a quick bumblebee lifecycle thread to explain.
Please #retweet for the #bees.
1/14
Spoiler alert:
Bumblebee nests generally exist for a matter of months.
Maximum number of #bees run to hundreds not thousands.
They don’t swarm.
They are not aggressive.
They don’t need to be - and shouldn’t be - moved.
You’re lucky to have them - enjoy and celebrate them!
2/14
The Bumblebee Lifecyle.
This is the quick version and a generalisation - obviously there may be variance depending on species and geographic location.
#Bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in early spring - how they got there we’ll get to later just go with it for now!
3/14
Again let’s talk about #honeybees in the context of ‘Saving the Bees’.
Let’s cut the bull and cut to the chase as there’s way too much confusion/misinformation out there which is a hinderance to & detrimental to genuine bee saving.
1/18
May 20th has been designated World Bee Day by the UN. This date is the birthday of the pioneer of modern beekeeping – Anton Janša.
But maybe in reality it should be World Honey Bee Day & #bumblebees/#solitarybees should get their own day.
‘ENDANGERED BEE DAY’
Why?
Read on.
2/18
Context:
There are 3 basic types of bee on the planet.
#Solitarybees.
#Bumblebees.
#Honeybees.
Of the 20,000+ species of bee only 8 are honey #bees.
Around 40% of bee species are under pressure worldwide.
Honey bees are not in trouble.
Repeat.
Honey bees are not in trouble.
3/18
You knew #bumblebees were friendly but…is that bumblebee actually waving at you?
Please #retweet/#share for the #bees.
When talking to people about bumblebees (which we do a lot!😊) they tend to mistakenly associate them with two things; honey and stings.
Here’s a thread on #stings to set the record straight.
We’ll get to honey another day.
Thanks, as always, good people. 🙏🏼🐝
1/12
Spoiler alert!
Quick version.
It’s not a wave it’s a warning.
One leg up - back off.
2 legs up - seriously back off!
Belly up - wtf dude get the message!
#Bumblebees only sting as a last resort.
Can sting more than once.
Don’t die when they sting.
Males can’t sting!
2/12
#Bumblebees have the capability to sting for sure but being the docile gentle creatures they are they don’t like to use this capability - it’s their nuclear option! The ability to sting is a defence mechanism to defend their nest and themselves if they are being…
3/12
#bees