[This has been forwarded from sci.bio.entomology.misc, as it certainly
strikes *me* as a novel honeybee behavior - replies should be directed to
Kris Burton]
 
In article <[log in to unmask]>,
John Blackmer  <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Kris A Burton wrote:
>>
>> Hi all!
>>
[deleted stuff]
>>
>>   Now, to the request for help.  We have three bird feeders (seed) around
>> our house and have recently had some kind of bees or wasps swarming around
>> the feeders when it's warm out and cleaning out the feeders.  Usually,
>> the bird feeders will have seed in them for most of a week, but these bees
>> have cleaned out a full feeder in one day's time.  I haven't been home
>> when the bees have been active, so I don't know what kind they are.
>> Anybody know what kind of bee/wasp will raid bird feeders?  I don't know
>> if they bees are eating the seed or not.  I suppose they could be using
>> the seed to build their nest.  Also, what can I do to keep the bees away?
>> The birds stay away as long as there are a number of bees around.
>>
>
>Seed eating bees? That has me baffled. Are you sure they are a bee species
>and not some sort of fly? (It's a little work, but if you can examine one,
>bees have two pairs of wings, flys have only one pair). Such identification
>may be useful and often various species resemble each other.
>
[Info on how to prevent bees from nesting on your eaves deleted]
>
>Any holes? can they get into the feeder post and are trying to nest there?
>How about a nearby tree? Some wasps and hornets like to gnaw the soft wood
>from cedar, redwood, or other boards to then chew and regurgitate for nest
>making. They usually gnaw at the wide, lighter spring growth "rings"
>inbetween the narrow, darker, summer rings. See what you can spot.
>
>If you get any more info, let us know.
>
>John
 
  I was finally able to get home before the bees left for the day and was
able to identify them -- they're honeybees.  I observed a few of them for
a few minutes.  A bee would would around in the bird seed looking for
some seed to take with it.  Once it found the seed, it put it's head down
and tried to push it back into its middle and/or rear legs.  However, it
had great difficulty doing so (because the seeds were slippery?) and
resembled a dog digging a hole.  After it was able to grab the seed, it
flew off, but I couldn't track it very far into the woods.
 
Any ideas on how to deter or distract them from the bird food so I can
feed the birds again?
 
Kris Burton
[log in to unmask]
Lucent Technologies Inc (formerly AT&T)
Columbus, OH
 
Opinions expressed herein are mine and not AT&T's or Lucent Technologies'
 
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose"
                                                Jim Elliot