dead bumbles

**stormpsy** · 13-08-2013, 05:16 PM

seems a bit soon/odd for the colony to die maybe something else has attacked them

**rustylady** · 13-08-2013, 05:17 PM

Dead or drunk, Jen?

**veggiechicken** · 13-08-2013, 05:27 PM

There was a similar post the other day http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1158928

**peanut** · 13-08-2013, 05:52 PM

I've noticed in the last couple of days lots of dead Buff Tailed Bumble Bees in an area under an Elder tree and Buddleia, they are all missing their heads.

It's really upsetting to see. I have no idea what this could be.

**mothhawk** · 13-08-2013, 06:34 PM

There is a horrid little fly that waits on flowers for bees. It jumps on the bee, pierces its body and lays an egg inside. The egg hatches and the larva feeds on the insides of the bee, which dies after a few days. The fly overwinters as a pupa inside the dead bee and hatches the next year.

Also of course, most bumbles don't live over the winter, only the new queens. Once the new queens and new male bees leave the nest, the workers are redundant, much like wasp workers are, so they hang around the flowers till they die off either from old age, exhaustion, or cold.

I've seen a lot of male bees about, so bumble bee colonies are coming to an end now. Sad, but that's life.

With regard to bees with missing heads, peanut, no idea what's causing that, unless birds are pecking them.

**jayjaybee** · 13-08-2013, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by rustylady View Post

Dead or drunk, Jen?

Definitely dead as a doornail, and only in the last few days. Having found a website bumblebeeconservation.org, I learn that it could be just a natural process of drones having fulfilled their purpose and keeled over, or alternatively we may have a nest and the dead ones have been chucked out of the nest. Or again hot weather could have leeched the nectar from the buddliea and the bbs die trying to feed. All in all I feel quite sorry for them, I'm not coming back as a bumble!

**jayjaybee** · 13-08-2013, 07:04 PM

Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post

There was a similar post the other day http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1158928

Thanks vc will look at that

**Two_Sheds** · 14-08-2013, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by mothhawk View Post

There is a horrid little fly that waits on flowers for bees. It jumps on the bee, pierces its body and lays an egg inside. The egg hatches and the larva feeds on the insides of the bee, which dies after a few days. The fly overwinters as a pupa inside the dead bee and hatches the next year.

most bumbles don't live over the winter, only the new queens.

"Most bees have very short life spans" "These workers only live for a few weeks, and then sadly die. It's therefore quite normal to see a small number of dead bees in the garden"

FAQs | Bumblebee Conservation Trust

and crab spiders will catch & eat bees

Their camouflage is amazing

**jayjaybee** · 14-08-2013, 08:05 AM

Thanks two sheds, I had in fact found that very interesting and informative site. I think my bees are dying naturally.

**Two_Sheds** · 14-08-2013, 08:37 AM

Sad, but true.

That's another fascinating fact that, er, fascinates my Garden Club, esp. the girls: boy bees do all the food shopping, then die

**JustPotteringAbout** · 14-08-2013, 10:18 AM

With honeybees 'undertaker 'workers remove the dead from hives, so one would expect to see dead bees outside the hives. I think eusocial Bombus species do the same.
Other animals hornets, birds, rodents pull bees apart to get at bee's honeystomach, other internal organs, the hemolymph and generally non-hairy bits.
I've noticed what seems like a disproportionate number of bees dying or dead on particular plants. They are plants which are particularly attractive to bees so it's likely that there are just a lot of bees which happen to be on their last legs visiting those plants. It was a rainy afternoon though so it's possible but less likely they were perhaps conserving energy waitng for some sunshine to warm themselves and be on their way.
bumblebee.org has quite a lot of information on bumblebee biology.

**veggiechicken** · 30-08-2013, 11:45 AM

Just read this in a Bumblebee Conservation newsletter and thought you might be interested!

Dead bees - don't panic!

While finding a pile of dead bumblebees under your Buddleia is a disturbing sight, at this time of year it is actually quite natural. So what exactly is going on?

Towards the end of the summer the queen bumblebee in each nest will start to produce male offspring and new queen bumblebees. The males will leave the nest soon after they have grown and never return. Their primary role is to mate so they will spend their time in search of new queens from other nests.

The new queens will leave the nest during the day to feed and mate but will return each night to the safety of the nest. Once the new queen has mated (an acrobatic process, which most queen bumblebees only do once - see photo) she will spend her time feeding in preparation for hibernation. Newly mated queens are the only members of the colony to hibernate over winter - more on this next month.

Once the new queens have left the nest to hibernate, the rest of the colony will start to die. This includes the old queen, the female workers and the males. It is common to find the dead and dying bees near to flowers - when they are close to the end of their short lives, they become lethargic therefore their natural instinct is to feed on nectar.

There is more information about this on our website, here: Finding dead bees | Bumblebee Conservation Trust

**Whitney** · 17-09-2013, 06:58 AM

@Two_Sheds, very well said �boy bees do all the food shopping, then die�

**Nicos** · 17-09-2013, 08:31 AM

Originally posted by peanut View Post

I've noticed all missing their heads.

It's really upsetting to see. I have no idea what this could be.

Hornets will often de-head a bee or wasp.
I'd have thought though they would have taken them back to their hive as food though

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