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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
Members: 50,148
Threads: 82,325
Posts: 853,123
Top Poster: glsammy (15,069)
| | Welcome to our newest member, pywacket4u | |  | 
04-10-2010, 08:33 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Reigate, Surrey
Posts: 43
| | | White bees?
I saw several white bees feeding on Himalayan Balsam near Reigate (Surrey) today - never seen anything like them before. They were silvery white on the top but with the usual bee markings still visible within the white, the underside looked slightly less pale.
I'd be grateful for an explanation! |
04-10-2010, 08:52 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Weardale, Co Durham
Posts: 1,771
| | | Re: White bees?
Could it be pollen from the Balsam?
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The No-Kill Animal Sanctuary www.farplace.org.uk |
04-10-2010, 10:23 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,192
| | | Re: White bees?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Farplace  Could it be pollen from the Balsam? | Indeed - the pollen is white so the bees appear to be white after a while visiting the flowers. |
05-10-2010, 02:45 PM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Reigate, Surrey
Posts: 43
| | | Re: White bees?
Thanks! I'll have to go back for another look, preferably with a camera. The white was very uniform on the entire bee, not patchy as I'd expect with pollen. I'll have to catch one and give it a bath.  |
05-10-2010, 09:23 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 2,757
| | | Re: White bees?
Don't do that! Pollen = food for baby bees. When they get back home cleaner-worker bees brush them off and store the pollen as bee-bread.
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One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. (Shakespeare) |
05-10-2010, 10:16 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,982
| | | Re: White bees?
I am seeing exactly the same thing, it quite threw me for a bit, but it is the pollen. They do look odd, but pollen is the answer.
__________________
Genio Terrę Britannicę |
06-10-2010, 10:12 AM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Reigate, Surrey
Posts: 43
| | | Re: White bees?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedera Don't do that! Pollen = food for baby bees. When they get back home cleaner-worker bees brush them off and store the pollen as bee-bread. | Don't worry, I was only joking! | | |
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