Ivy and bees

[Simpo Two]

Hadn't realised it until yesterday but bees love ivy flowers!



You can't see them in the photo but there were dozens flying about and making quite a noise.

[The Count]

They love it and it makes the honey more firm and with a crystallised texture. My Bees (im a beekeeper) are all over our ivy, even though its raining.

[Silvanus]

It's one of the most important flowers for insects, especially bees as it's one of the last blossoms to bloom. The berries are also an important food for birds as they have a high fat content compared to other winter berries. Ivy is such a misunderstood and important plant.

[Simpo Two]

Silvanus said:

It's one of the most important flowers for insects, especially bees as it's one of the last blossoms to bloom. The berries are also an important food for birds as they have a high fat content compared to other winter berries. Ivy is such a misunderstood and important plant.

Eco-people say that if you kill dandelions all the bees will die and then we will all starve. Nice to hear some reality

[Silvanus]

Simpo Two said:

Silvanus said:

It's one of the most important flowers for insects, especially bees as it's one of the last blossoms to bloom. The berries are also an important food for birds as they have a high fat content compared to other winter berries. Ivy is such a misunderstood and important plant.

Eco-people say that if you kill dandelions all the bees will die and then we will all starve. Nice to hear some reality

Another important flower, although we need a combination of different plant types rather than one super plant.

Slightly off topic, are you in agri/horticulture S2?

[Simpo Two]

Silvanus said:

Slightly off topic, are you in agri/horticulture S2?

I was for a short while. BSc Applied Biology then trialling garden chemicals with an agrochem company. But then decided that advertising was much more interesting! Are you an entomologist?

[Silvanus]

Simpo Two said:

Silvanus said:

Slightly off topic, are you in agri/horticulture S2?

I was for a short while. BSc Applied Biology then trialling garden chemicals with an agrochem company. But then decided that advertising was much more interesting! Are you an entomologist?

Ahh very interesting.

Not quite, I work very closely with an entomology team. Any ideas if there is an Agro/horti/forestry thread, search function doesn't bring anything up. There must be a few people in those lines of work on here.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

This year has been mental for ivy flowers and bees. Ours has been covered in a way I've never noticed before, despite living here 18 years. Mentioned it to a gardener friend and he confirmed many of his customers were saying the same.

[Boosted LS1]

No bees on the ivy here but lots of those small wood wasps. I'm not sure of the correct name for them.

[Simpo Two]

The bees are out again today despite the chilly weekend and near-freezing temperatures.

Where do bees go at night?

[Silvanus]

Simpo Two said:

The bees are out again today despite the chilly weekend and near-freezing temperatures.

Where do bees go at night?

Depends on the species. Honey bees sleep in their hives (manmade or natural tree hollows). Other bees are different, females tend to sleep in their nests/burrows, whereas the males sleep in the open on plant stalks or twigs hidden away. Many males succumb to cold snaps and freeze to death this time of year.

[The Count]

Simpo Two said:

The bees are out again today despite the chilly weekend and near-freezing temperatures.

Where do bees go at night?

A bit of sun does wonders. You'd be surprised at the core temperature inside the hive, which is nearly always around 28°C and can be as much as 38°C.
We've popped our mouse guard on now (mice like to look for a warm, sweet place this time of year) and the fondant is also inside the hive.

We've noticed (have a webcam setup, below) that the bees, esp. in summer, go to bed at 8pm and then you don't hear a peep.

[Silvanus]

I'd love to watch that webcam

[Simpo Two]

The Count said:

You'd be surprised at the core temperature inside the hive, which is nearly always around 28°C and can be as much as 38°C.

As bees are cold-blooded how does that happen?

[Silvanus]

Simpo Two said:

The Count said:

You'd be surprised at the core temperature inside the hive, which is nearly always around 28°C and can be as much as 38°C.

As bees are cold-blooded how does that happen?

They vibrate their bodies/wings on mass to create heat. They can creat such high temperatures it can even kill a predator, with some collateral damage.

[The Count]

Silvanus said:

Simpo Two said:

The Count said:

You'd be surprised at the core temperature inside the hive, which is nearly always around 28°C and can be as much as 38°C.

As bees are cold-blooded how does that happen?

They vibrate their bodies/wings on mass to create heat. They can creat such high temperatures it can even kill a predator, with some collateral damage.

Absolutely. They can regulate the humidity too.

Something that i still find amazing is their 'waggle dance'. Honey bees, like humans can accurately describe where something is to other hive members by waggling their bottoms.

For example, you can tell you dog to go over to a corner of field and it will travel in that direction, but the honey bee can tell another to go to the corner of field, turn left, over a road and down twenty feet.