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Old 04-05-2018, 04:28 PM   #1
CherryBrandy
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Default summer bee keeping

a few little bees have made their home in a large tubular wooden wind chime. It is hanging in the conservatory on a coat stand and I was waiting to hang it outside on the apple tree during nicer weather. but they have made it home now.

My dilemma is the conservatory can heat upwards of 50 degrees in summer even with blinds, so do I move it now ? will they find it ? or let the bees stay.

I need a bee keeper to answer this I think??
I must say if I had a choice I would let them stay as they are sooooo sweet and absolutely incredibly if I shut the conservatory door they buzz to go out !!! and wait to come in !!! I am amazed. They are better trained than Puppy delight.
I would love one of those old bee hives and keep these type but I don't think they are the hives type, lot smaller. Maybe ill get one and see if they will stay. CB
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Old 04-05-2018, 05:43 PM   #2
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Not sure to be honest maybe you could move it a bit at a time and see if they follow it.
I have had bumble bees living in my house for a few years now and they make one heck of a noise in the wall cavity but it's nice to see them so all three nests can stay.
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Old 04-05-2018, 08:20 PM   #3
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If they are living in little tubes, they are probably solitary bees. I have put up an insect house on my sunny wall, it is largely made up of little tubes, and is now full of solitary bees, they lay their eggs in the tubes and then block up the ends with soil, I could sit and watch them for hours. Your conservatory might be a bit too hot, although they do like a sunny spot. I think if you move it they will find it, they found my new insect house, no problem, they made a beeline for it.
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Old 04-05-2018, 08:34 PM   #4
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They are very clever - if it is cold they huddle together in the hive to make it warm. IF cold they slow down.

If it is too hot they fly out and collect water on their wings to take back to the hive to cool it down.


Unless they have an exit they won't be able to do this.

Conservatory sounds too high a temperature though.

I am not an expert.
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Old 05-05-2018, 04:37 PM   #5
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ooh thank you for all the replies , I will move it now as its over 40 degrees in there !! heatwave ! and see what happens....CB
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Old 05-05-2018, 06:51 PM   #6
Ozric Jonathan
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I love all the bees as well and have a few places round the garden with bits of wood with holes drilled etc. Don't have any in the house though.
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Old 06-05-2018, 08:37 PM   #7
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My bees are busy laying eggs in the holes and then blocking the ends with spit and mud, there’s quite a few blocked up holes now, it’s really interesting to watch, sometimes they go in head first, then I can see them turn around, and sometimes they go in backwards. They really are fascinating to watch. And I’m so pleased to have them living in my garden, along with mr and mrs black bird, who seem to have claimed my garden as theirs, and they’re quite tame now.
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Old 07-05-2018, 12:46 PM   #8
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bees are so interesting aren't they. love hearing about all the stories. A couple have found the tubes ! brilliant but if they are 'solitary' bees that live in wood does that mean they will fight over the tube bits? or will they just claim the space, CB
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Old 07-05-2018, 01:56 PM   #9
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They sound like masonry bees.
I had to repoint an old cottage a couple of years ago due to them digging out all the cement and they were so keen they were still doing it as I was pointing with new cement it was very interesting watching them digging a hole laying an egg then filling it in with bits of leaf.
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Old 07-05-2018, 02:02 PM   #10
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When we moved house our solicitor bought us a wooden bee house as one of our house-warming presents.
It’s certainly not constantly in use and we had to put it up fairly high as our autistic son is scared of any winged insects, particularly butterflies and moths sadly, so we didn’t want them coming too near him in the garden but we have seen the odd one in and out.

However, the Great Tit eggs have successfully hatched and there’s a gorgeous cheeping from the nesting box and daddy tit is very busy in and out with food.
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