Comments on: red-tailed bumblebees http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/ a place where nature, photography and writing meet Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:48:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: bev http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/comment-page-1/#comment-49909 bev Sun, 20 May 2007 14:15:18 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/#comment-49909 Marcia - Thanks for that reference about the overwintering queen bees. I wasn't sure if that was the case everywhere, or just up here in the north. I should see if our library has a copy of the Stokes' book as it sounds interesting. Marcia – Thanks for that reference about the overwintering queen bees. I wasn’t sure if that was the case everywhere, or just up here in the north. I should see if our library has a copy of the Stokes’ book as it sounds interesting.

]]> By: Marcia Bonta http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/comment-page-1/#comment-49736 Marcia Bonta Sat, 19 May 2007 19:32:50 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/#comment-49736 According to research I did several years ago, only the bumblebee queens overwinter as fertilized queens. Quoting from Donald W. Stokes A GUIDE TO OBSERVING INSECT LIVES: "these [queens]emerge in early spring and start a nest by choosing an existing underground cavity, collecting pollen into clumps, and laying eggs on the pollen. The pollen and eggs are covered with wax and the queen sits on them, keeping them warm while they develop. The eggs hatch in four to five days,"etc. Consult this excellent book, pp. 101-102 for the rest of their lifecycle. According to research I did several years ago, only the bumblebee queens overwinter as fertilized queens. Quoting from Donald W. Stokes A GUIDE TO OBSERVING INSECT LIVES: “these [queens]emerge in early spring and start a nest by choosing an existing underground cavity, collecting pollen into clumps, and laying eggs on the pollen. The pollen and eggs are covered with wax and the queen sits on them, keeping them warm while they develop. The eggs hatch in four to five days,”etc. Consult this excellent book, pp. 101-102 for the rest of their lifecycle.

]]> By: bev http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/comment-page-1/#comment-49303 bev Fri, 18 May 2007 10:45:30 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/#comment-49303 robin - yes, do join me in some bee-watching! I'd be interested in seeing which species you have out there in the PNW. - Wayne - I thought we might have discussed bumblebees sometime last summer, but I've been too busy to look it up. Ha! I just checked the fern and liverwort idenification keys! You're right, the fern one doesn't look too useful, and the liverwort one becomes a little cryptic about a third of the way through. During the bioblitz, I made use of a gorgeous book on lichens from the library, but found that the keys are quite difficult to use. It seems to me that certain organisms -- lichens being one of them -- require some degree of subjective determination. Each patch of lichen always seems so individual to me, especially as there are often several different lichens growing together. I don't think I'll ever move much beyond casual appreciation of lichens! (-: - Cathy - Thanks again! Oh, you're so right about the dandelions. When I came in with my spider photos the other day, I was thinking, "Forget the spiders... these dandelions are awesome when you look at them up close!!" (-: I'm sure you'll find some red-tailed species around your area. I'd say that roughly a quarter of the bumblebees that I see have red markings. Most bumblebees are quite docile and will pretty much ignore a camera and keep on with their work, but there's one species that has a reputation for having a prickly personality -- <a href="http://stri.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Bombus+fervidus&guide=Bombus" rel="nofollow">Bombus fervidus</a>. I do approach these and have photographed them in the past, but I don't push my luck with them at all as I've found they can become grouchy in very short order. They're easily recognized as the queens are large (very long-looking abdomen) and are mostly yellow with just a little bit of black. robin – yes, do join me in some bee-watching! I’d be interested in seeing which species you have out there in the PNW.
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Wayne – I thought we might have discussed bumblebees sometime last summer, but I’ve been too busy to look it up. Ha! I just checked the fern and liverwort idenification keys! You’re right, the fern one doesn’t look too useful, and the liverwort one becomes a little cryptic about a third of the way through. During the bioblitz, I made use of a gorgeous book on lichens from the library, but found that the keys are quite difficult to use. It seems to me that certain organisms — lichens being one of them — require some degree of subjective determination. Each patch of lichen always seems so individual to me, especially as there are often several different lichens growing together. I don’t think I’ll ever move much beyond casual appreciation of lichens! (-:
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Cathy – Thanks again! Oh, you’re so right about the dandelions. When I came in with my spider photos the other day, I was thinking, “Forget the spiders… these dandelions are awesome when you look at them up close!!” (-:
I’m sure you’ll find some red-tailed species around your area. I’d say that roughly a quarter of the bumblebees that I see have red markings. Most bumblebees are quite docile and will pretty much ignore a camera and keep on with their work, but there’s one species that has a reputation for having a prickly personality — Bombus fervidus. I do approach these and have photographed them in the past, but I don’t push my luck with them at all as I’ve found they can become grouchy in very short order. They’re easily recognized as the queens are large (very long-looking abdomen) and are mostly yellow with just a little bit of black.

]]> By: Cathy http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/comment-page-1/#comment-49061 Cathy Thu, 17 May 2007 22:09:44 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/05/17/red-tailed-bumblebees/#comment-49061 Prepare for more gushing :0) Even without the Bumblebee - these would be delightful. I think most people have no idea that the humble dandelion is so intricate and beautiful. I'll never look at Bumblebees the same again. I've got to find a Red-tailed variety. How could I have missed this? I understand these insects are fairly docile and one therefore doesn't have to worry too much about them becoming aggressive while trying to snap a photo. Prepare for more gushing :0) Even without the Bumblebee – these would be delightful. I think most people have no idea that the humble dandelion is so intricate and beautiful.

I’ll never look at Bumblebees the same again. I’ve got to find a Red-tailed variety. How could I have missed this? I understand these insects are fairly docile and one therefore doesn’t have to worry too much about them becoming aggressive while trying to snap a photo.

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