Bee? Id Please

[shenk1]

I think its a bee anyway

Taken in the garden April last year



Cheers, shenk1

[Jason Green]

Osmia bicornis (=rufa).

[Matt Smith]

A male - hence the long antennae.

[shenk1]

Cheers you two

[johnny7gun]

Originally Posted by Matt Smith

A male - hence the long antennae.

Do males not die after summer?

On another note, i came across a huge beech tree that was blown over by the gale force winds a few weeks back, and in one part of the trunk, is a now exposed and badly damaged honey bee hive.It is really sad to see them all huddle together in a "ball", but they are still alive....for now.Does anyone know if they are likely to die, being so exposed?Will they have the energy to move?Should i try and cover the exposed hive?It would only be e very temporary cover.ie a plastic bin liner nailed down or something.(sorry if that seems stupid)

[Matt Smith]

Most solitary bees only last a few weeks as adults - they mate, make and provision their nests and then die off. Some species are double brooded, some only fly once per year. The male Osmia rufa photograhed in April would most likely be dead by May.

Honeybees specnd the winter in a fairly torpid state in their hive, eating honey and "shivering to keep the colony warm. If the hive is too exposed then the bees will die of cold, particularly if they get wet, so the fate of the one you found depends to large extent on the amount of damage they have suffered so far. A local beekeeper might be interested in collecting the colony if it is reasonable condition.