Mornin’.

#onesecondbee

Bees to go…

#onesecondnature
#beequick
#bees #nature
#science #fun #beesanctuaryireland

Here’s a
#MondayMorningMoment
with #nature here on
The Bee Sanctuary of Ireland.
Take a moment.

#pause

Go do some #good.
Have the best week you can.
If you’re not having a good week - tell someone.
And if someone tells you -
Listen.
Really #listen.

#mentalhealth
#wellbeing
#beesanctuaryireland
#sanctuary

Here’s a
#MondayMorningMoment
with #nature here on
The Bee Sanctuary of Ireland.
Take a moment.

#pause

Go do some #good.
Have the best week you can.
If you’re not having a good week - tell someone.
And if someone tells you -
Listen.
Really #listen.

#mentalhealth
#wellbeing
#beesanctuaryireland
#sanctuary

Here’s a
#MondayMorningMoment
with #nature here on
The Bee Sanctuary of Ireland.
Take a moment.

#pause

Go do some #good.
Have the best week you can.
If you’re not having a good week - tell someone.
And if someone tells you -
Listen.
Really #listen.
#mentalhealth
#wellbeing
#beesanctuaryireland

Mornin’.

Gentle on my mind.

‘And it's knowing I'm not shackled
By forgotten words and bonds
And the ink stains that are dried upon some line
That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my memory
That keeps you ever #gentle on my mind..’

#bumblebee #muskmallow
#nature #beesanctuaryireland
#beesanctuary

I bet they’re asleep in New York…
I bet they’re asleep all over America…
Of all the thistles, in all the meadows, in all the world, she flies onto mine...

Goodnight folks.

Dream like they used to.

#bees #butterflies #goodnight #dream #beesanctuaryireland

Spent a lovely few hours here on the bee sanctuary recently in the company of the gentleman that is Keith Duggan.
The results of our chat are in the Irish Times Magazine today.
Huge genuine thanks to Keith and Ciara Kenny at @irishtimes for telling our story. And of course my partner in crime @thebeegirl for the images.
For #bees.
Always!
🙏🏼
#beesanctuary #vegan #organic
#nature #bumblebees #beesanctuaryireland #naturereserve
#naturebasedsolutions #climate

Front row seat.
Nature.

#nature #naturephotography
#naturebasedsolutions #bees #beesanctuaryireland #wicklow
#naturereserve #vegan #organic

We had a couple of dodgy moments where this owlet got stranded away from the nest box (trying to fly before ready) and had to be assisted back to the box. Seems to be getting the hang of it now!
Shows the value of having people on-site full time and fully engaged.
Nature needs a helping hand.

#barnowls #owls #nature #naturephotography #birds
#birdwatching #wicklow #beesanctuaryireland
#helpinghand

Hope this provides a little bit of insight and creates a little more #empathy towards these wonderful creatures.

Thanks for reading.

Please share to spread further the knowledge.
#boost

And please do still dream of sleeping in #flowers.

Have a great one!

#bees #bumblebees #beesanctuaryireland
#vegan #organic #nature
16/16

…specific height preferences at which they patrol spreading their queen attracting scent. Some work their magic in the tree tops while others are more down to earth! Despite mating being their raison d’être the sad fact is that very few males (estimates put it at less…
10/16
#bumblebees #bees #beesanctuaryireland

…patrolling for prospective mates and foraging. They then spend their lonely nights sleeping on or in flowers - the temperature in some flowers at the base near the nectar source can be up to 10ºC above outside temperatures.

Depending on the species male #bumblebees have…
9/16
#bees #beesanctuaryireland

…to avoid inbreeding (take note some humans 😂).
This is where the ‘flower sleeping’ starts. Having no homes these males will now spend their days actively seeking a new queen to mate with and food to sustain themselves. They will travel up to 17 kilometres in a single day…8/16
#bees #bumblebees #beesanctuaryireland

…for themselves.
Once mature they leave the nest. Unlike workers and queens on leaving the nest they don’t perform learning flights to memorise its location but fly directly away never looking back and never to return. They will disperse far from the nest - up to 6 miles -
7/16
#bees #bumblebees #beesanctuaryireland

…mother the queen. When developing as larvae they require more food and for a longer time period than female worker larvae. Ironically later in their short lives males will never forage for pollen and nectar to contribute to the nest but concentrate on foraging for nectar…
6/16
#bees #bumblebees #beesanctuaryireland

…and their apparent penchant for overnighting in flowers.

Male #bumblebees are produced by the queen fairly late in the nest cycle - mid to late summer. Males develop from unfertilised eggs - they have no father - and 100% of their genes will be in common with their…
5/16
#bees #beesanctuaryireland

…foraging in inclement weather or too late & losing light, low energy & natural end of life. But at this time of year - mid to late summer - you may notice a big increase in ‘flower sleepers’ and most of these will likely be males. So let’s take a look at male #bumblebees..
4/16
#bees #beesanctuaryireland

They spend their short lives seeking sugar and a mate.
Most don’t get to mate.
Those that do never meet their offspring.
No male has a son.
Oh and they can’t sting!

#Bumblebees sometimes sleep/overnight on flowers. And for a number of reasons including getting caught out…
3/16
#bees #beesanctuaryireland

Spoiler alert:
To sleep on a flower may appear romantic and magical but the reality can seem more tragic than magic for the bumblebees involved.

Flower sleeping #bumblebees are primarily males.
They don’t have a dad.
Once mature, males leave the nest and never return.
2/16
#bees #beesanctuaryireland

We’ve had a lot of people enquiring about and commenting on #bumblebees asleep on #flowers, especially at this time of year, so here’s a quick (long)🙄 thread explaining what’s going on.

Please #boost so more are more informed.
Thanks good people.
#bees #beesanctuaryireland
#vegan #organic #advocacy
1/16