BEEwildered.

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by Sydney Smith, Apr 6, 2015.

  1. Sydney Smith

    Sydney Smith In Flower

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    Weather here still variable and must be very confusing to the general wildlife - fine warm and sunny one day and then cool and cloudy. There has been/is quite a few Bees around on the plot. As always there is a percentage of them find their way indoors and have to be carefully "rescued" and put outside again. This morning have had two large Bumbles indoors - to put them back outdoors I use a plastic beaker and a piece of thin card to do it - carefully over them with the beaker and then gently so gently slide the card between it and the surface thus trapping the Insect inside - then easily taken outdoors, card off and away they go. Two good deeds for the day completed successfully - every little helps. IMG_8487.jpg Heres a pic of one of them.
     
  2. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Syd, amazing photo (as usual)! We have the occasional honeybee mistake our home for the hives in the barn lot, and I use the same method of moving her back outdoors. I even keep a paper cup on the kitchen counter and a playing card (Queen of Hearts, of course) for that express purpose.
     
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  3. Henry Johnson

    Henry Johnson In Flower

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    Good vvork, Syd.. The pollinators are important to our future, the rescue of even one (1) is indicative of a healthy attitude/character....
    Hank
     
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  4. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Good for you taking the time to rescue those bees Syd. I do the same as you with both bees and spiders that wander indoors.
     



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  5. Gilly

    Gilly New Seed

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    I won't kill anything if it's at all possible....even flies that come indoors are herded back outside by my opening windows wide, switching any lights off and flapping a white tea towel at them. I must look like a right loony at times!!! :smt043 One of my customers asked if I was a Buddhist but I said no, I just don't believe in killing things unnecessarily :)
     
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  6. Sydney Smith

    Sydney Smith In Flower

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    Hi all. I have made my feelings about the importance of caring for all the wildlife great and tiny several times and have always made a point of doing so - I said recently I believe that mankind with he's "progress" ?????? has done/is doing much harm to it all right across the board. Totally agree that we who care must do all repeat all we can to help Mother Nature - goodness knows she needs all the help she can get. Syd.

    An edit - for Jane. You keep your own Honey Bee hives so tell me please have you ever come across the practice which goes way back here of "telling the Bees" - this telling consists of any misfortunes or bad news in the family etc??. I did ask someone else on here but believe they had not. Best wishes. Syd.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2015
  7. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Syd, yes, we tell the bees. A neighbor passed away suddenly, and as soon as we were told I went out and told the bees. When my husband's mother passed away in Maryland, I told the bees. There is a custom of putting a small bowl of water on the windowsill nearest the hive and giving the bees a dish of honey when there is a death. I don't know if it is just a custom, or whether it makes a difference. I do know that it helps the humans cope with a loss.
    God help me, I even did it when our beloved 14 year old cat passed away. I'm such a softie . . . .
     
  8. Sydney Smith

    Sydney Smith In Flower

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    Hi Jane. Thanks for that and delighted to hear that this practice is followed in U.S. as well as here - probably elsewhere also. It is one more of those delightfully innocent, harmless and quaint little customs of all types which go way back and have very happily survived over the years - well done to you - sure your Bees are all very happy. Syd.
     

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