Bees
& Bumble Bees
The European honey bee or Western
honey bee
(Apis mellifera)
The Genus Apis is Latin for "bee",
and mellifera comes from the Latin meli - "honey"
and ferre "to bear" — hence the scientific name means
"honey-bearing bee". Don't panic if you do
come across a swarm. The noise from their wings can
be quite loud. The bees are usually quite docile while they
are swarming. To be on the safe side keep children and pets
well away so that the bees are not disturbed, close any open
windows overlooking the swarm, then Give APC a call. We will
not charge you if we can collect the swarm as we give all swarms
collected to local bee keepers within the local area.
However sometimes they enter cavity walls in
which we have no other choice but to treat them with an insecticide
dust which is chargeable.
Newbury
and Wantage beekeepers.
Freephone
0800 652 5411
Bumble Bees
A Bumble Bee is any member of the bee Genus Bombus, in the family
Apidae; there are over 250 known species primarily occurring
in the Northern Hemisphere.
Bumble Bees are social insects that are characterized by black
and yellow body hairs, often in bands. However, some species
have orange or red on their bodies, or may be entirely black.
Another obvious (but not unique) characteristic is the soft
nature of the hair (long, branched setae), called pile, that
covers their entire body, making them appear and feel fuzzy.
They are best distinguished from similarly large, fuzzy bees
by the form of the female hind leg, which is modified to form
a corbicula; a shiny concave surface that is bare, but surrounded
by a fringe of hairs used to transport pollen (in similar bees,
the hind legs are completely hairy, and pollen grains are wedged
into the hairs for transport).
APC has made an important decision not to treat
Bumble Bee nests as they are becoming very rare and do not cause
any risk to humans if left alone.
ONLY in extreme circumstances
will we consider to treat a Bumble Bee nest and when possible
we will relocate a nest.
contact us
Bumble
Bee conservation trust |
