Wild bees are found on Garmna island Lettermore, Co Galway
Wild bees are found in an area of 700 hectares of upland bog on Garmna island, near Lettermore Co Galway. This area is thoroughly wild and is not frequented by people.
I kept domesticated bees since 2011 with happy and healthy hives, well treated and providing a bounty of honey every year.
I was aware of wild bees in a jumble of boulders above a deep pond and placed hives that bees had lived in, along a 1 kilometre of stretch of trees, leading from the boulders, to my apiaries where I placed 2 empty hives on a shed roof at 5metres elevation and waited. July and August ensured two swarms of wild bees entered my empty hives and within 20 minutes they both functioned as active healthy hives. The noise of the swarm arriving deadened all local traffic noise. Alarming. One hive swarmed one year later and returned to the boulders. I keep 2 empty hives near the wild bees - dum spiro spero (while I breathe I hope).
This year a well placed, clean, new hive placed in a tangle of vegetation in August, attracted a small number, possibly 800 bees, and I discovered them in their hive in November and fed them with Hive Alive, they promptly attacked me. No matter all bees are welcome.
Locals report bees entering attics or roof spaces of houses, this is most unwelcome, I advise placing an empty hive nearby, or strong jets of water or citronella candles, I welcome bees. I find the best thing to do with advice is to pass it on - Oscar Wilde, one woman severely allergic to bee stings heeded my advice. I advise those with allergies to take these steps.
The future of bees on Garmna island is assured with a reserve of wild bees willing to use man made hives as a respite from poor weather and severe cold then returning to the vagaries of increasingly adverse weather. I find these wild bees docile and amenable to being handled excepting the newest arrivals.
Paul Dunne Medischinische Schriftsteller/Dolmetscher gleanntrasna@yahoo.com
Comments