Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 527727 times)

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Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #315 on: September 07, 2011, 10:31:37 am »
Thanks for the comments, Stephen, you're lucky to find bumblebee nests.  You and snowcap are both right about bumblebees and stings! 

Others may be interested to know that male bumblebees do not have stings and so are perfectly safe to handle.  With the red tailed bumblebees (Bombus lapidarius) it's easy to tell the difference between the males and females - as snowcap says the females are black with red tails, while the males have additional yellow bands - but for some of the other species the differences are not so obvious.  Even though the females have stings, they're generally fairly placid unless badly disturbed.  What have you two been doing to them to get stung?!  :o

Anyone who would like to know more about  bumblebees may find the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website interesting.

Fester, I know that insects are not your favourite creatures but are you OK with bumblebees? 

Offline Trojan

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #316 on: September 07, 2011, 11:04:51 am »
We have "Africanized Killer Bees" over here, due to an experiment that went wrong.  $angry$

http://youtu.be/d-7kKqgPEGs


Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #317 on: September 07, 2011, 03:44:06 pm »
Interesting video, Trojan.  It's a good (or maybe bad?) example of the dangers of introducing non-native organisms (plants as well as animals) from one country to another.  Without their natural predators, the introduced species can too easily take over. 

A less dramatic but still worrying effect of introductions is genetic change due to cross breeding between native and introduced species or strains.  To digress to plants, there is concern over hybridisation between our native British bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and the introduced Spanish bluebell (H. hispanica).  The resulting hybrid (H x massartiana) has the potential to displace at least some of our native populations and there's some more information on it here and here.  I've certainly seen hybrid as well as native bluebells on the Great Orme. 

To return to bumblebees, as opposed to the "killer" honeybees, there are concerns about the escape of continental strains of buff tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), which have been introduced to commercial glasshouses for pollination of tomatoes, as these bees could potentially breed with our native strains.  (Pollination of some plants, such as tomatoes, requires "buzz pollination" which only bumblebees can do.  In Australia workers in tomato glasshouses apparently use vibrators on the tomato flowers to simulate the effect of "buzz pollination"!)

You may have heard in the news about the appearance and spread of a "new" bumblebee species in the UK.  Bombus hypnorum, the tree bumblebee, arrived from the continent in about 2001, apparently under its own steam.  Starting in the south east, it's been spreading northwards and westwards and there have recently been a couple of reports of it in North Wales.  It tends to nest in trees but will happily move into bird boxes, while our endemic bumblebees generally nest below ground or at ground level.  It's quite a distinctive bee, with a brown thorax, black abdomen and white tail, and it's too early to determine if it's having any affect on our native species.  In this rather bad photo there are five male tree bumblebees buzzing about outside a nest in a yew tree in the East Midlands, waiting for the new queens to emerge.  If disturbed at the nest, the worker bees (which can sting) may be quite defensive.  Has anyone seen these in North Wales yet? 

Offline snowcap

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #318 on: September 07, 2011, 07:39:08 pm »
these look like our bumbles with fur coats on, lol

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #319 on: September 07, 2011, 09:17:33 pm »
I see what you mean, Snowcap!  Thanks for you nice comments about the picture of the red tailed bee.  The males tend to be a bit easier than the females to photograph, as they spend a lot of time sitting around drinking! 

Offline snowcap

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #320 on: September 07, 2011, 09:32:49 pm »
how come you have not posted a photo of fester lol

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #321 on: September 07, 2011, 10:01:56 pm »
Fester, have you anything to say in your defence? 

Offline Fester

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #322 on: September 07, 2011, 10:12:45 pm »
What?  What have I done now?
I don't mind bumblebees, in fact they are very important so I'm told.... but Moths are not!
They scare me and must be squashed.

Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #323 on: September 07, 2011, 10:25:07 pm »
Fester, Snowcap was implying that you have certain characteristics in common with male bumblebees (if you look back two or three posts you should pick it up) but as you rightly say bumblebees are very important, so they're not bad things to be compared to. 

As for moths, some of them are important pollinators, too.  You must resist the urge to squash them!!!

Offline Fester

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #324 on: September 07, 2011, 10:28:31 pm »
Sorry can't help you, my urge to squash moths is purely instinctive, born out of fear and dread!

As for looking back 3 posts to find out why I am getting a mention here, I'm afraid my attention span doesn't stretch that far.

 
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #325 on: September 07, 2011, 10:34:39 pm »
Just to help you, I mentioned that male bumblebees spend a lot of time sitting around drinking ...

Offline CurlyCap

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #326 on: September 07, 2011, 10:41:17 pm »
I'm afraid that all this talk of bees and moths is reminding me that I have still got a dreaded wasp nest in my roof space.

To be honest they're not in the house or bothering us but Blodyn (or anyone else) have you any idea when they'll die off and will they return next year if I don't get rid of them soon ?  ???

Offline Fester

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #327 on: September 07, 2011, 10:45:59 pm »
Just to help you, I mentioned that male bumblebees spend a lot of time sitting around drinking ...

I fail to see what relevence that comment could have for me.  Z**  (Burp)
Perhaps you are thinking of Mike Ormegolf?  or Dave R?

Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #328 on: September 07, 2011, 11:29:18 pm »
CurlyCap, I don't know much about wasps but this website seems quite useful. 

It looks as though the wasps should die off as the weather gets colder and that the nest will not be re-used.  However, there's a warning that as the wasps get short of food they are more likely to start making a nuisance of themselves as they look for sugary foods.  If you can stay out of their way for a bit longer you'll probably be OK - and wasps have their uses too, as they help to control other insects. 

Fester, it was Snowcap's comment, you surely don't imagine that I'd suggest a thing like that!   ;)

Offline Fester

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #329 on: September 07, 2011, 11:41:19 pm »
Too late, I have referred it to my legal team, and I have hired Max Clifford to clear my name.

In the meantime, Mrs Fester has grown tired of my squashing moths, and has invested £2.99 in a humane spider / insect catching device from kleeneze.
It has kind of a sliding door which closes over the insect, then you simply let them go free outside.
I don't see the point really, why take the risk of them returning?

I find a rolled up magazine much more effective.
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -