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Bees
Many people, including beekeepers, are often unaware of the different types of bees, thinking that bees are bees are bees and so on. In the UK there are about 270 species of bees, less in Ireland and the islands, with some being localised owing to habitat and suitable food sources. Bees are in three groups:-
- Honey bees, with only one species, that are those that beekeepers keep. There is a lot more to know about them than is usually given in books and training courses. It isn’t often appreciated that some bees suit the locality better than others, need less feeding, are resistant to varroa and above all are survivors. These are important issues that will help the understanding of why some beekeepers have robust bees, while others have heavy losses. We have assembled more information that can be found here. (link to next page)
- Bumblebees, of which there are 24 species. Some are surviving well, though others are declining. Some are species-specific, so may not be widely distributed. The Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) is likely to be the species that beekeepers are contacted about if a nest is found in a bird box. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust website is a good resource.
- Solitary bees make up the remainder of the species. Unlike honey bees and bumblebees, there are only males and females, with no adults living through the winter. Some are species-specific, hence short life span. Some, such as the ivy bee (Colletes hedera) can look like and be confused with honey bees, but are smaller. Some online material is of dubious quality, but the website of the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS) is sound.
