The Ichnuemon Wasp, perhaps?
I've occasionally seen these, or something more bee-like, in my yard. The long thing is an ovipositor.
Posted on 05/29/2007 8:36:43 AM PDT by cposnarkey
Very likely that they do. Question #1 Does the orchard owner put out bee hives within the orchard? If the answer is no then “very likely” will go to “most definitely”.
The Ichnuemon Wasp, perhaps?
I've occasionally seen these, or something more bee-like, in my yard. The long thing is an ovipositor.
Hmmmmm...
Report to re-education, Citizen...
They were in mid-orgy.
Although you were probably happier not knowing that...
It’s my orchard and I do not have any hives. There once was a neighbor about a mile away who had bees, but that was about a decade ago.
How can anyone have “organic” bees? Do they control where the bees get pollen and nectar? Unless you have the hives on a very large property which you control, I don’t think so. The bees could easily go to neighboring properties where non-organic practices are used.
So you are not buying the multi-dimensional bee antenna theory?
Thanks, this led me to some very fascinating reading.
yes, it’s good to have some (possibly) good news for a change.
Those would be cicada killer wasps. They live in the ground, digging burrows with piles of dirt around the entrance. They kill cicadas and drag them down into the burrow. Otherwise, they are harmless. It’s been dry in Maryland, so they are active earlier than usual.
I suppose organic bees build their own comb, and don’t get chemical treatment for mites.
It would be interesting to run an experiment using ready-made comb with smaller cell sizes. However, beekeepers have been using the ready-made comb for years without a bee die-off. Some synergy at work now, maybe - or maybe just coincidence.
Mrs VS
"One of the earlier reports attributed the loss of bee colonies on cellular phones. I'm not that familiar with all the technical aspects of beekeeping, but why do bees need cell phones? Could we solve the problem by taking their phones away?"
This has got to be an undercover FReeper.
The bees will build there hives in wind protected locations not very deep in the forest. Generally the hive entrances are less than 15 feet above the ground.
On a sunny day when the wind is mild get a pair of binoculars and sit on the edge of the orchard on top of a step ladder where you can see above the orchard trees.
This will allow you to watch the bees come and go from their hives. In 30 minutes or so you will be able to determine the air trails (where they fly in straight lines back and forth to the hive) they are using.
It is easiest if you watch only for bees that are flying out of the orchard. They are loaded with pollen and want to unload it, so their trails are the straightest.
Thank you so much for the information. We were really hoping that seeing these swarms meant that there is a hive nearby, give the current bee “crisis.”
It’s exciting to know this.
Thanks again.
Your cat leaves the back door open when you are out.........OR, they might be a "steel blue cricket hunter"
"
Does it look like this?
Sounds like what we call, "locust hunters" They are almost harmless unless you sit on a female. THe males don't have stingers.
Chances are this is one of the solitary bee’s that do no harm they are not aggressive and so not sting.
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/nativebee.html#sweat
It is a species of wood wasp that burrows into specific species of trees. They are supposed to be relatively docile and non aggressive.
We noticed alot of them last year. Never saw them before and haven’t seen them since.
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