bumble bee deaths

[audreytilley]

Today I found several dead and dying bumble bees (30 - 40 in total) underneath a Sycamore tree - all lying within about 12 square metres on the ground. Many, but not all, had completely hollow abdomens (rear end!).The 2or 3 that were still alive were in a bad way and their abdomens were also hollow.
Wonder if anyone can offer any explanation? I was quite concerned, knowing the plight of our british bees!

Thanks. Audrey

[Dogghound]

Possibly high rates of parasitism. Several species are internal parasites of bees, although they are not normally found in large numbers.

[audreytilley]

Thanks for the reply Dogghound.

[aeshna5]

I have heard Great Tits will occasionally attack bumble bees in this way.

[Paul mabbott]

Interesting - today was wet and grey (following a couple of similar days) and I've seen several sluggish (and soaking) bumblebee workers. I put this down partly to the weather and partly because they were probably the first brood which would start dying at this time of year.
So, check what species, check what type, check whether there are signs of parasitoidy or predation .... and when you've nothing else to do let us know!

PS: Damaged corpses are often due to post mortem damage: birds, mammals, other insects will extract any nutrition they can from a naturally dead bee.

[audreytilley]

Thanks for your replies. Yes I could understand birds eating dead bees but some were still alive and crawling about with their back ends hollowed out - horrible! Would birds attack live bees?
Also, it is really weird that there was a high concentration of bodies in such a small localised area. I've never seen anything like it.
I don't know much about bees but I according to bee identity info, they look like "Bufftails"
I can't see any obvious signs of parasites but as I said I'm no bee expert!
There has been very little rain here for several days although the temp has dropped quite a bit.
I was going to post some pictures but I read we're not allowed to do this (new to this, and indeed any, forum!)

Hope this clarifies things for you more knowledgeable bee people!!
Look forward to any more interesting ideas/suggestions.
Audrey

[birderbryan]

The same thing is happening here. I have lots of bumblebees on the massive fuscia hedge (probably 50 plus at any given time) but when I looked close up to the Catonestater which I have at the other side I did notice a couple of dead bees closeby and one very sluggish, which eventually died.

[cyberinsekt]

Found a dead B.rupestris female in the garden, which appeared to have met a violent end without being predated upon, as it had not been eviscerated but had been trying to sting something in its final moments.

[ron1863]

All types of Bees, Butterflies and other insects have been on the decline in recent years. In April the Government announced that £10 million will be spent on research. The following is the link:

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Research money has beekeepers buzzing

[mickmassie]

I have seen and photographed this phenomenon several times, nearly always with Bombus terrestris, and generally what look like queens early in the year. Without any direct personal evidence, it looks like Great Tits (or another bird) to me: the tails are neatly snipped off and the contents thoroughly cleaned out. A parasite would not do that.
Ted Benton talks about this in his book, Bumblebees, citing observations of Great Tits snipping off the sting first. He talks about lime trees, but that is not my experience. You often find 'dopey' bees, and a bird would have little trouble. M.