Bumble Bees Death Spiral

[Hillian1]

I have noticed recently that Bumble Bees are dying at an alarming rate, outside my office there are at least 10 dead Bees in the small smoking area/patio.

Is this normal for this time of year or is there something more sinister at work.

 

[PWA]

Bees rule.

 

[glasfryn]

plenty down here in Eastbourne blooming great things to
your dead ones could be drones?

 

[StonehamPark]

I have noticed recently that Bumble Bees are dying at an alarming rate, outside my office there are at least 10 dead Bees in the small smoking area/patio.

Is this normal for this time of year or is there something more sinister at work.

Carbon Monoxide poisoning?

 

[Stinkers Bridge]

It could well be sinister forces at work.. I suspect there is a sting in the tail of this story.

 

[LamieRobertson]

loads all over my lavender hedge

 

[Eksman]

Good death to them all. Bees and wasps scare the shit out of me

 

[Sam Ovett]

Without bees we couldn't exist. Sad news

 

[sydney]

bees are ace......but they shouldn't smoke...!

 

[Cold Gettin Dumb]

Loads of bumbles on our patch

 

[Papa Lazarou]

First it was the honey bees, now it's the bumbles. Where will it end?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

There does seem to be an alarming lack of bees, wasps, those hover ones. I remember being pestered by them all summer not so long ago.

 

[FamilyGuy]

I've always been led to believe that like many insects, Bumble Bees have a short and active life and so when you see a "dead Bee" then it has simply served its purpose and worked itself to death?

 

[Hillian1]

I've always been led to believe that like many insects, Bumble Bees have a short and active life and so when you see a "dead Bee" then it has simply served its purpose and worked itself to death?

Shit load of working going on here then, and not much of it done by me.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Some info here:

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk...n_to_Mother_Nature_not_heatwave__say_experts/

 

[MattBackHome]

Loads of lovely BEES up on my plot, aided by lots of purple flowers about.

Went for a cream tea at Littlington last weekend and couldn't BELIEVE thenumber of wasps.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I've always been led to believe that like many insects, Bumble Bees have a short and active life and so when you see a "dead Bee" then it has simply served its purpose and worked itself to death?

As per the link I just posted, it appears you are pretty much correct.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This might be a clue?

However, towards the end of summer or early autumn, again, new queens emerge from the colony she has founded. The rest of the colony, however, including the workers and the original queen, will not survive.

http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/how-long-do-bees-live.html#Bumb

 

[London Irish]

Time did a cover on it - you need a sub to read entire article though

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2149141,00.html?pcd=pw-edit

 

[Hillian1]

Very sad, there is a Red Tail Bumble Bee nest under the hedge outside our office too and that seems to have gone now.

Many a lunch hour spent watching the industrious little insects come and go.