Urban dwellers "should keep bees"

[Kate1978]

I heard this on the BBC this morning.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8184655.stm

It starts out with what we already know about bees being essential for pollination and the decline in their population in recent times, but then becomes an infomercial for the "Beehaus".

Opinions?

[Mr Flibble]

I don't know whether anyone else has noticed this or not: all bees are in decline, however 99% of the media coverage is about decline of wild honey bees.

It's a common belief that non honey making insects are in someway useless, despite still doing the pollination part.

Is it not fairly obvious that the decline in wild honey bees is due to commercial beekeepers? How many wild cows, pigs, sheep, chickens etc do you see in the UK?

[Kate1978]

"English bumblebees and other species of bee" did get a passing mention on R4, but I guess that they aren't as "sexy" as honeybees?

[gogs67]

"English bumblebees and other species of bee" did get a passing mention on R4, but I guess that they aren't as "sexy" as honeybees?

Scottish bumblebees are, of course, far sexier, lol!!!!!

As to them in decline, i've seen an abundance of bumblebees this year, there certainly doesn't seem to be a problem with them!

Urban Honeybees? Yep, i'm all for it, although i'm sure there are better alternatives to housing them than using the 'Beehaus'!

[Mr Flibble]

We've had loads of bumble bees on our lavender this year, every time i go out there are several buzzing around.

They are apparently in decline thou, there's a preservation trust that claims that 3 of the 27 species are now extinct: http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/

[harpy]

I did briefly entertain the idea of having a beehive in the garden (not necessarily a designer beehaus ) but when I read up about it it sounds as if it could be rather labour-intensive, even when you're not planning to pinch the bees' stuff.

I plan to put out some bunches of bamboo etc to encourage solitary bees though, as they seem to be able to take care of themselves better. And I'm going to try and plant some more of the plants that they like.

Bees of all shapes and sizes seem relatively plentiful here in the London 'burbs. They say that they do better in towns, don't they - perhaps because there's less use of pesticide.

[gogs67]

We've had loads of bumble bees on our lavender this year, every time i go out there are several buzzing around.

They are apparently in decline thou, there's a preservation trust that claims that 3 of the 27 species are now extinct: http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/

By the sound of that site they are saying that a few specific species of bumblebees are in decline, probably in very localised areas under threat from development, not the genus as a whole.
I know that the 'set aside' scheme in operation in farming over the last few years has been enormously successful in lifting the numbers of the common bumble bee and, even in the city, i've seen more nests (and bees) this year than any other that i remember!

[Kate1978]

I get some bees buzzing around my plant pots. I've thought about encouraging them with one of these. A bit cheaper than a beehaus!

http://the-plant-directory.co.uk/hap...ox-p-1774.html

Even though it would only attract English bees and not those sexy little critters from north of the border.

[harpy]

Some DIY bee house ideas here:

http://www.foxleas.com/bee_house.htm

[treaclemine]

I have bees in my red mason bee house in my garden!

[Saul]

I have not seen many this summer,they have been wiped out some people think it might be the signal of mobiles, seems unlikely,the government last year was asked to provide help, a couple of million pounds to research and stop it but they weren't interested.