Talkback: The first bumblebee of the year - Page 2 - Talkback

29/03/2009 at 20:43

The first bee we saw was over the heathers in the Winter Garden in Cambridge University Botanical Gardens in mid/late winter. We have seen about 3 bumble bees in our garden: one on winter aconites and one on Jack Frost (like forget-me-not). We have seen 2 butterflies too - a yellow brimstone about a week ago and a small white today flying around and settling on the magnolia stellata flowers. It seemed to be sunbathing!

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29/03/2009 at 20:51

saw my first bumblebee in february is this globol warming

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29/03/2009 at 21:01

I too live in wales..the south and have seen a number of bees in my garden but I'm totally incognizant about the differing types of bees.Can anyone give me a beginners guide?

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30/03/2009 at 05:13

Sounds like vine weevil grubs. At least you've got some tubers to replant in fresh soil. Birds love the grubs if you put them on the bird table, but if you've got other pots I'd check them as well. Horrible little things, usually the first time you realise you've got them is when the plant starts to die.

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30/03/2009 at 15:05

sorry to dissapoint you richard we have seen the first one in feb, and one on the 15th march in llanelli they both flew into my conservitory very big ones, and then just seem to die off very quickly, they were both acting as if they were wasps and tring to sting themselfs.. how strange but they were very very big..

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30/03/2009 at 18:32

I rely on a patch of dandilions to provide nectar for the early bumble bees, but there still isn't any,either in my garden or the road sides in West Nottingham. How are they in your area? However the bees certainly are enjoying my spring flowers and Lonicera purpusii blooms. So are not missing the dandilions too much.Comma butterflies are the earliest ones I get, and have seen three so far.

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30/03/2009 at 18:51

Well, I planted lungwort and lemon balm in profusion - and can I get any of them near it?! No!

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01/04/2009 at 07:53

We have had a lot of bee flies in our garden. Is this not early?

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01/04/2009 at 12:53

Saw my first Bumblebee on 23rd Feb feeding on wild primrose plants. Today saw a tiny little bee (similar to a tiny furry humming bird) visiting forget-me-not flowers with great precision and moments later heard the noise of a whole load of honey(?)bees and a lone peacock butterfly on our wild plum tree

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02/04/2009 at 16:08

Reply to everyone Thanks for all the bumblebee date information. It's good to know that they're about as usual. No butterflies in my garden yet. Daily Digger's little bee will almost certainly be a bee-fly, which Annie W saw too. That date though....not fooling us I hope. It is the right time of year.

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02/04/2009 at 16:50

The bees in my garden (Torquay by the sea) nest in the steep shady banks and were buzzing about the Coronella which flowers for most of the winter here, in mid January. Now that the garden is full of flowers, there are bees of all sizes everywhere.

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02/04/2009 at 19:41

Ito have some queen bees bombing around outside my house but not until i read this article did i know that they were queen bees again more flowers must be planted. Also further comment on the butterflies, ive been on high alert as looked in my upstairs extention only to find 20 tortoishell butterflies trying to get out ,im letting them out on a daily basis where are they all coming from

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03/04/2009 at 10:28

saw my first bumblebee on wednesday.

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03/04/2009 at 21:31

Interested to read of other butterfly sightings! We now have loads of bees (many types) and several peacock butterflies on a regular basis in front and rear gardens. Sadly the snails are also waking up and becoming mobile...just as the hostas emerge. Daily patro;s will be necessary once again I fear!

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06/04/2009 at 21:16

Bee's love Lavendula heather fox gloves flowers that are easy to get the nectar from cotoneaster when in flower really buzzes with all sorts of bee's, along with butterflies lady birds and dragonflies they are all so welcome to my garden.

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12/04/2009 at 08:54

Reply to Mandy 1963 The small tortoiseshell is one of only five UK butterflies to regularly hibernate as adults (peacock, comma, brimstone and red admiral are others). They are the species most likely to come indoors to find a fold in a curtain or behind the valence. They also go into sheds, greenhouses and other out buildings. The problem is that they often get revived ahead of time by central heating, so flutterings in December and January need to be released into the cool shelter of an outside loo or potting shed rather than released into the very fresh air. Yours are fine though, emerging from slumber at a more appropriate time of year.

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13/04/2009 at 15:02

My cherry tree is in full bloom at the moment and the honey bees are finding it irrisitable. You can hear them buzzing around. I also saw several Brimstone butterflies while walking the dog. Great to see them...

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23/04/2009 at 18:33

We seem always to have Bumble Bees in and around the glasshouse, maybe its because in there are flowers, in bloom most of the time, a few of the Angelines never seem to stop flowering, also grow Pansies, they are in flower from October through the winter, even though its been more of a real winter this year they have performed well, pity the Cabbage White Butterfly has woken up, Spring Cabbage netted to keep them off.

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25/04/2009 at 08:27

Yes we have shredded leaves on the verbascum thanks to the cabbage white caterpillars!

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28/11/2011 at 18:38

I saw my first bumble bee in the garden today 4.04.09: Knighton, Liecester. I think it came from the allotment at 6.00pm. It was huge, was this a queen? Anyway if it was, she appeared to drop and rise like she was riding on a sea wave.

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