We love a refill bee colony and often get a bee in our bonnet when we think of these little buzzing pollinators.
“When they go… we go,” as Einstein is reputed to have said. (OK, yes, that was shortly after he said E=MC², which might mean we all go anyway – but some people are just cheerful!).
Bees are declining worldwide. Why? We’ve been talking about systemic pesticides, like neonicotinoids, for years. Action is happening, but PLEASE don’t use any leftovers in the tool shed!
Shrinking habitats, Varroa mites and various viruses also contribute to the problem, but researchers suspect neonic exposure reduces their resistance to threats. Whatever the cause, the decline continues – so let’s help stop it, and get your garden pollinated at the same time.
All the photos above are of Bombus terrestris Audax, the ‘Buff Tailed Bumblebee’. Being native, it’s hardy and adapted to UK weather, so you can place your hive from early April until late August for weeks of pollinating your flowers, fruits and flowering vegetables. (Its warm, furry coat helps it manage the weather and spread pollen – Nature’s a superb designer!)
Nature can seem cruel at times too, though. The colony, despite having abundant nectar and pollen, will quietly die after a few weeks. But with Nature’s cycle, this isn’t ‘The End’. New Queens will have taken flight to hibernate through the winter and found new colonies in the spring.
So, not only have you helped your garden blossom and grow, you’ve also ignited several new cycles of life and helped to reduce the decline of bees in your area. (If you like, you can introduce a new refill bee colony into your existing shelter in the spring too.) We’ve tried to find out how many new Queens leave to hibernate, but after loads of research, the answer seems to be “it varies”. Do you know?
Although you can buy your colony anytime, they’ll be sent from the Bumblebee Apiary only when the weather is suitable, rarely before March. But don’t let that stop you from giving a gift in winter. (What a wonderful present a colony would make!) We’ll send a note explaining that you bought a bumblebee colony, arriving in the spring.
Click here for some tips on caring for bee colonies.
