[NatureNS] re huge bumblebees on rhodos, Wolfville : Doing my bit

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From: Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2012 16:50:11 -0300
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On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 3:53 PM, James W. Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>wrote:

> *JUNE 2, 2012* - At the Wolfville public library, I sat on a bench for
> lunch in a lovely spot surrounded by *rhododendrons* loaded with pink
> blossoms, and several *noisy, huge, yellow-and-black bumblebees* were
> feeding there (on both pollen and nectar?).  The bumblebees sounded
> dangerous but were very easily approached and watched to very close
> distances (several cm.).
>
> *I'm wondering *(a) what species of bumblebee?, and (b) would these
> bumblebees seen be members of a single colony?, or (c) is it still early
> enough in the Summer that they would all be overwintered queens that are
> raising their first broods in hidden nests somewhere?
>
> Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.
>

Hi,

Yesterday a group of us were sitting on a grassy bank waiting for our turn
to promote cycling for heart health in the Apple Blossom parade, A very
large Bumble Bee buzzed around and landed in the grass. I pointed out what
a beautiful bee this was, and one of our group (an otherwise intelligent
and well-educated person) promptly and deliberately killed it by stepping
on it. I was horrified, and she said she was worried it might sting her,
and that bees and wasps were all the same and were dangerous anyway. I
spent the next 5 minutes explaining why it wouldn't, and why bees are
beautiful, pollinate plants, are necessary for the eco-system, are
particularly necessary for apple blossoms, and aren't the same as wasps. I
hope my little education session helped, particularly as there were other
people including kids within earshot. We have a long way to go!

Richard


-- 
#################
Richard Stern,
Port Williams, NS, Canada
sternrichard@gmail.com
###################

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<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 3:53 PM, James W.=
 Wolford <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca" ta=
rget=3D"_blank">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote=
 class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc soli=
d;padding-left:1ex">

<div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word"><div style=3D"margin-top:0px;margin-rig=
ht:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px"><font style=3D"font:13.0px Arial"=
 face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"><b>JUNE 2, 2012</b> - At the Wolfville public li=
brary, I sat on a bench for lunch in a lovely spot surrounded by <b>rhodode=
ndrons</b> loaded with pink blossoms, and several <b>noisy, huge, yellow-an=
d-black bumblebees</b> were feeding there (on both pollen and nectar?).=A0 =
The bumblebees sounded dangerous but were very easily approached and watche=
d to very close distances (several cm.).</font></div>

<div style=3D"margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left=
:0px;font:normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial;min-height:15px"><br></div=
><div style=3D"margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-lef=
t:0px">

<font style=3D"font:13.0px Arial" face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"><b>I&#39;m wond=
ering </b>(a) what species of bumblebee?, and (b) would these bumblebees se=
en be members of a single colony?, or (c) is it still early enough in the S=
ummer that they would all be overwintered queens that are raising their fir=
st broods in hidden nests somewhere?</font></div>

<div style=3D"margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left=
:0px;font:normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial;min-height:15px"><br></div=
><div style=3D"margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-lef=
t:0px">

<font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:13px">Cheers from =
Jim in Wolfville.</span></font></div>
</div></blockquote></div><br>Hi,<br><br>Yesterday a group of us were sittin=
g on a grassy bank waiting for our turn to promote cycling for heart health=
 in the Apple Blossom parade, A very large Bumble Bee buzzed around and lan=
ded in the grass. I pointed out what a beautiful bee this was, and one of o=
ur group (an otherwise intelligent and well-educated person) promptly and d=
eliberately killed it by stepping on it. I was horrified, and she said she =
was worried it might sting her, and that bees and wasps were all the same a=
nd were dangerous anyway. I spent the next 5 minutes explaining why it woul=
dn&#39;t, and why bees are beautiful, pollinate plants, are necessary for t=
he eco-system, are particularly necessary for apple blossoms, and aren&#39;=
t the same as wasps. I hope my little education session helped, particularl=
y as there were other people including kids within earshot. We have a long =
way to go!<br>

<br>Richard<br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>#################<br>Richard St=
ern, <br>Port Williams, NS, Canada<br><a href=3D"mailto:sternrichard@gmail.=
com" target=3D"_blank">sternrichard@gmail.com</a><br>###################<br=
>


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