[NatureNS] re huge bumblebees on rhodos, Wolfville

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Cc: Cory Sheffield <cory.silas.sheffield@gmail.com>,
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2012 19:27:55 -0300
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THANKS! to Dave McC. and Paul M. for responses.  Today I revisited  
them and describe the huge bumblebee as having black head, yellow  
thorax and base of abdomen, and the rest of the abdomen black.   Does  
this fit _Bombus impatiens_?

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Paul MacDonald <paulrita2001@yahoo.com>
> Date: June 3, 2012 5:33:05 PM ADT
> To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re huge bumblebees on rhodos, Wolfville
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>
> Hi Dave
> I see the workers out already here in Martins Point.
> Not many yet but some.
> There is also some Tri colored bees in my rhodos and azaleas.
> They are not as big as _Bombus impatiens_.but pretty good size.
> Quite attractive colors. Is Tricolored the correct name?
> The bees have been very plentiful in my yard this year. Not uncommon
> to see 6 - 8 on a plant. I use a lot of peat moss, leaves and other  
> organic material
> The ground under the plants is very loose. Perhaps this allows the  
> bees to
> build nests more easily.
> I was in Kentville today at the Research station and in spite of a  
> good bloom
> there was many less bees than at home. I noted the ground there was  
> hard.
> In addition at Kentville there is an insect eating the decidious  
> azalea leaves.
> Strips them down to the rib. I found one - it had made a cacoon  
> with the leaves.
> About 2 cms in length - as expected a yellowish green. Hope they  
> stay in Kentville.
> They may be in the wild azaleas also but I've never seen any.
> Have a nice spring
> Paul
>
>
> From: David McCorquodale <dbmcc09@gmail.com>
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Sent: Sunday, June 3, 2012 4:33:08 PM
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re huge bumblebees on rhodos, Wolfville
>
> Jim:
>
> Large bumble bees now (early June) will be queens.  Therefore each one
> is likely to have her own colony.  Many of these are likely to be
> _Bombus impatiens_.  This species was unknown in NS until about 1990.
> Since then it has become the most common species in cities and most
> towns.  Yes, despite the press, this is a species of bee that has
> increased in geographic range and population in NS.
>
> The first workers (all females) should be out in the next 10 days or
> perhaps some are out now.  They are much smaller, less than half the
> size of queens.  These female workers will forage, defend the nest and
> expand the nest.  The next generation of workers will be a little
> larger and by late August the females produced will be the size of the
> large queens you are seeing now.
>
> DBMcC
>
> 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.
>
>


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
THANKS! to Dave McC. and Paul M. for responses. &nbsp;Today I revisited =
them and describe the huge bumblebee as having black head, yellow thorax =
and base of abdomen, and the rest of the abdomen black. &nbsp; Does this =
fit _Bombus impatiens_?<div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in =
Wolfville.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded =
message:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>From: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Paul MacDonald &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:paulrita2001@yahoo.com">paulrita2001@yahoo.com</a>&gt;</fon=
t></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">June 3, 2012 5:33:05 PM =
ADT</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">"<a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a>" =
&lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a>&gt;</f=
ont></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Re: [NatureNS] re huge bumblebees on =
rhodos, Wolfville</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
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Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font =
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