In message <[log in to unmask]>, Matthew Shepherd
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>I'm originally from England, where on several occasions I have seen the=
> ground beneath Tilia trees (in England, known as lime or pry, in the U.S.,=
> linden or basswood) scattered with dead bees. I have seen this under both=
> small-leaf lime (Tilia cordata) and hybrid European lime (Tilia europea).=
> The dead bees certainly included both honey bees and bumble bees, and may=
> have included other species. I have been told that the bees find Tilia=
> nectar irresistible, and fall to the ground intoxicated after a feeding=
> frenzy.
Starvation. The nectar *is* irresistible. Lime trees are found so often
in towns where there is little else for bees. Once there, they
repeatedly attempt to get nectar and there are too many insects going
after the same thing. The tree cannot produce fast enough. In a rural
area I can only presume they are *so* attractive the bees keep
attempting to get nectar in spite of getting so little until they run
out of fuel to fly and keep warm. Research showed empty honey stomachs
in the dead bees. Maybe you could dissect one and check the contents
when you next see this. Unfortunately old myths die hard in beekeeping.
--
James Kilty