Bumble bee "stealing" nectar

We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a
buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her
proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour
before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other
plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible.

Kate

Kate wrote: news:e55btu$ev0$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk

> We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a
> buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her
> proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour
> before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other
> plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible.
>
> Kate

It is quite common. I have seen it many times
happening and you often can find the holes.

--
p.a.

On Thu, 25 May 2006 23:43:07 +0100, "Kate" <@*slamaspam*.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

>We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a
>buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her
>proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour
>before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other
>plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible.

Hi Kate

It often happens with Runner Bean flowers and gardeners always get a
bit miffed because the bee goes away with the nectar without
pollinating the bean flowers!

)

Chris R.

"Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@556.nn> wrote in message
news:4476392b$0$60525$dbd4b001@news.wanadoo.nl...
> Kate wrote: news:e55btu$ev0$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk
>> We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw
>> a
>> buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her
>> proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour
>> before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other
>> plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible.
>>
>> Kate
>
> It is quite common. I have seen it many times
> happening and you often can find the holes.
>
> --
> p.a.
>

The holes are quite evident, as the flower is bruised around it.
Today, I saw a much smaller bumble bee probing the same holes as the
larger one had made earlier.

Kate

"Kate" <@*slamaspam*.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a
> buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her
> proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour
> before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other
> plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible.
>
> Kate

I've seen them doing the same with columbines ....
--
Larry Stoter

Kate wrote:
> We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a
> buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her
> proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour
> before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other
> plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible.
>
> Kate

But it may be accessible to less sneaky insects too. The bumble is getting
an advantage...

Mike.
--
If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

	#1
Kate	Bumble bee "stealing" nectar We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible. Kate

	#2
Peter Alaca	Re: Bumble bee "stealing" nectar Kate wrote: news:e55btu$ev0$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk > We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a > buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her > proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour > before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other > plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible. > > Kate It is quite common. I have seen it many times happening and you often can find the holes. -- p.a.

	#3
no@emails.thx	Re: Bumble bee "stealing" nectar On Thu, 25 May 2006 23:43:07 +0100, "Kate" <@slamaspam.demon.co.uk> wrote: >We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a >buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her >proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour >before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other >plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible. Hi Kate It often happens with Runner Bean flowers and gardeners always get a bit miffed because the bee goes away with the nectar without pollinating the bean flowers! ) Chris R.

	#4
Kate	Re: Bumble bee "stealing" nectar "Peter Alaca" <P.Alaca@556.nn> wrote in message news:4476392b$0$60525$dbd4b001@news.wanadoo.nl... > Kate wrote: news:e55btu$ev0$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk >> We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw >> a >> buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her >> proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour >> before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other >> plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible. >> >> Kate > > It is quite common. I have seen it many times > happening and you often can find the holes. > > -- > p.a. > The holes are quite evident, as the flower is bruised around it. Today, I saw a much smaller bumble bee probing the same holes as the larger one had made earlier. Kate

	#5
Larry Stoter	Re: Bumble bee "stealing" nectar "Kate" <@slamaspam.demon.co.uk> wrote: > We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a > buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her > proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour > before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other > plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible. > > Kate I've seen them doing the same with columbines .... -- Larry Stoter

	#6
Mike Coon	Re: Bumble bee "stealing" nectar Kate wrote: > We have a beautiful lonicera Americana in full flower. Today I saw a > buff-tailed bumble piercing the tube of several flowers with her > proboscis to get at the nectar. I`ve never noticed this behaviour > before and it hardly seemed necessary as there are plenty of other > plants in bloom where the nectar is more accessible. > > Kate But it may be accessible to less sneaky insects too. The bumble is getting an advantage... Mike. -- If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.