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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #11612  by Jonnieitis
 30 Jul 2021, 11:00
Hi does anybody know what this bee is Image had f Ew turn up then a few more about 70 ish

Image
 #11614  by Patrick
 30 Jul 2021, 11:13
Certainly looks like a honey bee.

Were they particularly interested in a particular place?
 #11615  by Jonnieitis
 30 Jul 2021, 11:26
Thanks for your reply.
They just turned up yesterday a couple did in the corner at the bottom of the garden they seemed interested in some boxes and also drinking some rain water. An hour or so later loads where there so I put some suger water in a bowl. Know there back this morning and the bowls full of them.
 #11616  by Patrick
 30 Jul 2021, 12:12
Its getting rather late in the year for it, but assuming the boxes are loosely stacked, it could be scout bee taking an interest in the boxes prior to a swarm moving in. More likely thy are interested in the rainwater and just flying around the boxes because they are there. if a swarm moving in would be a problem, you could move the boxes for a few days.

My guess is the flying around the boxes is just coincidental this time of year. I would not continue to feed sugar syrup however, as it could become an issue.
 #11618  by NigelP
 30 Jul 2021, 12:36
Not sure what you would intend to do with them after capturing several individual honey bees....so that would be a bad idea. If you are after capturing a swarm then that is a different matter, make sure you have a spare hive/nuc to house it.
 #11620  by Caroline
 30 Jul 2021, 15:40
Firstly, as Patrick says, stop putting out sugar water, you'll attract any bees and wasps in the area.

Secondly, if you are not a beekeeper already then please sign-up with a local Association to learn the craft of beekeeping before acquiring honeybees from any source.

The bees you have seen may have been scout bees, which can show an interest for several days. A swarm may then appear or the scout bees may decide somewhere else is better. Or they may just have decided that the water near the boxes is the 'best in town'. The weather is atrocious at the moment so unlikely a swarm will appear, but if it does and you do not have the correct equipment and knowledge to house a swarm, then please look up the BBKA website to find a local beekeeper on the Swarm list.

Honey bees are livestock. The question I always ask people is "would you buy and keep a cow in your garden without knowing how to look after it?".
 #11624  by MickBBKA
 31 Jul 2021, 02:24
Point is you could be contaminating some ones honey crop with sugar syrup.

Bees have a seasonal trigger point which kicks in about now where they will go hell for leather on any easy source of nectar or honey and I think that will be what you have going on. Stop putting food out and they will go away I reckon.

Swarm in July.................................. ;)