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Gardening in Oz

Bumblebees anyone?

20 years ago

I'm sure that's what it was. One of my Pierre de Ronsard roses had a visit from a huge, amiable looking fuzzy creature. At first i thought it was a March Fly but then I say how huge and fuzzy it was, and couldn't help laughing out loud.

I know someone will point out the environmental disasters that these lovely creatures will wreak on us, but I really hope we get a whole lot more. Definitely the "pussy cat" of the insect world.

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Comments (5)

User
20 years ago
From what I have read (and also in the link below) they seem to think that there are no bumble bees on the Mainland, only in Tasmania.

I am certainly not trying to tell you what to do about it but I'm attaching the link because it has good pictures and you may just be interested. They are pretty cute, I must agree.

Cheers,
Dee.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bumble bees
Sparaxis
Original Author
20 years ago
I am pretty sure that's what it was. What else could it possibly be? Any ideas?
We are not that far from Tas, and one could easily hitch hike across. The lettuce thrip took only a very short time to get here. It may have been a solitary one, and we may not get more.
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I'm pretty sure I've seen my honeybees working blueberries. Maybe its just because its convenient for them, the hives are about 50-75 feet away from the row of bushes. But yes, they are definitely a bumble bee magnet. The bushes are just buzzing with large bumble bees on a warm May afternoon. Another flower with a very similar size, shape, and appearance is the flower of the American persimmon, especially the male flowers. I know for a fact that both bumble and honey bees like these trees, as I enjoy standing under mine in flower and listening to the intense "bee buzz" coming from the trees, and both types of bees are present in large numbers.
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I have El Desperado and it is one of the most photogenic daylilies I have ever seen (If that makes any sense. I have bought daylilies based on how often I take photos of them in other gardens.) It isn't a really dark yellow like some of the orangey yellows but I love it, and yellow and burgundy or red really isn't one of my favourite colour combinations.
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now another curiosity ...?
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Comments (1)
"small fly/bee-like critters that burrow holes in the sand piles" -- probably what is known as a SAND BEE, DIGGER BEE or BURROWING BEE (all the same insect). "a BIG all black bee that looks like a big bumblebee" -- probably a CARPENTER BEE. "blue tailed lizards" -- probably young MOUNTAIN SKINKS (Eumeces callicephalus) "bunny rabbits (cottontails)!" -- could be MOUNTAIN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus nuttalli) or EASTERN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus floridanus) or DESERT COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus audubonii). Joe
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User
20 years ago
Who knows! Perhaps someone else might know. As you say, it would be pretty easy for one to accidentally get here. All I can suggest is that you keep a lookout for it. Surely if it came once, it will come again??

Cheers,
Dee.
paradisi
20 years ago
if you were a bit further north I'd suggest the teddy bear bee

apparently they can be confused with the english version of the bumble bee.

If you have the bumble bee - - you'll neve have any problems with pollination - they are voracious pollinators and loved by the poms for working through the colder months to do what birds and bees do best

Here is a link that might be useful: teddy bear bee
corymbosa
20 years ago
This info is not really relevant to whether or not Spiraxis saw a bumble bee but I thought some people on the list might like to be made aware of it. A proposal for the introduction of bumblebees into Victoria for the purpose of crop pollination is currently under review. The proposal has come from the Australian Hydroponics and Greenhouse Association. The DEH is asking for public comment on the AHGA's proposal before the 16th June 2006. The AHGA's draft report can be found on the DEH website.

Note that the impact assessment is presented by the people wanting to import them so it's naturally dismissive or omissive of concerns regarding negative impact and containment. If you're interested in the proposal, I'd read around a bit before forming an opinion yay or nay.

Here is a link that might be useful: AHGA's draft report for importing bumblebees for crop pollination purposes

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