Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

Peeps are still calling us about the election. Some of them don't know where their polling stations are but some haven't even registered to vote and have decided to tell us on polling day itself.

Very much a batten-down-the-hatches feeling at work Many hands to the count, as it were. The parliamentary results have to be declared asap, so as soon as the polls close at 10 pm, the ballot boxes get taken in and then the count is on. Results will be known at some point in the small hours.

Gonna be lots of tired peeps tomorrow but I shall be going to bed as usual and will check the outcome online on Friday. I imagine our torydem muppet is bricking it as has a low majority and I'd be happy to see the back of them. Heck, I'd been even happier to see them dahn the social trying to sign on and being told to call a regional call centre to initiate their claim, whilst the moon is full, the planets in the correct alignment and their left sock is on inside out.

Or they'll be sanctioned and no cheese for you, my dear.

Well, I can but hope to see the day. And they I expect to see a minimum of 2-3 weeks of squabbling, back-biting and dodgy dealing as we try to get a functional parliament out of the leavings. Wasn't it Belgium that went for nearly a year without a functional government and no decernable ill-effects? I think we could try that, think of the money-savings to be had............:rotfl:

mardatha

I've noticed a few bees up here MrsL.

Karmacat

I've got the usual numbers of bees, Mrs L.

GQ - I'd love to see the MPs try to sign on outside of a reality programme

lobbyludd

we've had loads of bumbles - a fair few honey bees (one who was taking a liking to daughters play house and had to be evicted, does one get solitary queens, I thought they beggared off with half the hive?) but very few of the miner bees that tunnel under the lilac

GreyQueen

lobbyludd wrote: »

we've had loads of bumbles - a fair few honey bees (one who was taking a liking to daughters play house and had to be evicted, does one get solitary queens, I thought they beggared off with half the hive?) but very few of the miner bees that tunnel under the lilac

Queen honeybees leave the hive and take a chunk of the workers with them (swarming). Bumblebee queens hibernate pregnant and build their nests and raise a brood of their own. There are also solitary bee species.

I have only seen one honey bee on the allotment this year but I have seen several bumblebees on the broad bean flowers, inc one of the tree bumblebees, which have only colonised the UK in the past 20-odd years, starting on the south coast. They are small black bees with a white tip to their abdomen but a very distinctive bright chestnut 'shrug' over their shoulders (sorry, not sure what that part of bee-anatomy is called). Have had those on the lottie for about 4 years now.

Bit early for me to tell if they are around in usual quantities as there isn't actually that much up there for them, the broad beans are already flowering but are only 2 ft tall, there are a few overwintered calendula, plus the tolerated dandelions and red and white deadnettles which I am leaving alone for bee forage.

One of my long term plans is to have a whopping great sage bush covered with blue flowers as I have seen these with hundreds of bees on at a time and they are gorgeous.

karmacat, I'd love to see a politician being given the 4th degree by a DWP clerk. Bet many of us have been on the receiving end of that. And let them see how long it takes to get your pittance and how many hoops you have to jump through first. Golly, but I'm a tightwad and I'd pay good money to see that if it was for real.:rotfl:

Colleagues who are assisting with the count will be in the counting house by 9.30 pm, polls close at 10.00, ballot boxes down to the count and off they go. SuperGran has just been on the jellybone, she's very plugged in and reckons that they expect to declare the city at 4.30 am. I intend to be elsewhere, a pre-existing engagement in The Land of Nod.

thriftwizard

We've had more bees than last year, when there were hardly any. But still worryingly few; previously, if you stood under the big apple tree in full bloom, you'd hear that satisfying hum, but now I'm reduced to watching for movement to see if they're up there. There was lots of blossom, but the wind over the last few days has stripped a fair bit of that off. And loads of baby plums; little hard bullets sitting on the lawn instead of dangling from the trees.

There are branches, entire trees & fence panels down all over, but not a peep about it in the news...

moneyistooshorttomention

I have yet to spot one single solitary bee of any description here. Come to think of it, I had a visit back to Home Area recently and only spotted 1 (enormous) bee in all that time too.

Guess that means we've pretty comprehensively killed them all off now - just as predicted?:(:mad::(

lobbyludd

thanks for the info - i do love bees

DawnW

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I have yet to spot one single solitary bee of any description here. Come to think of it, I had a visit back to Home Area recently and only spotted 1 (enormous) bee in all that time too.

Guess that means we've pretty comprehensively killed them all off now - just as predicted?:(:mad::(

We seem to have some here, both honey bees and bumbles, and they have been around for several weeks. They like the pansy flowers, and the little quince tree which is currently in blossom, but even before these were out, they seemed to be hovering around on the patio, very interested in the compost in some of the large pots. OH wondered if they were looking for moisture, as it was quite dry here last month. Most days I have to persuade at least one to leave the kitchen via the window.

Lots of the local gardens and verges have flowering cherry trees and magnolias out, as well as the smaller spring flowers, so perhaps these have been attracting them.

[Deleted User]

I guess the bees are OK which is a relief, I know a man across the road has a hive in his back garden and that backs on to the allotments but they aren't apparent there either. We normally have masses of bumbles and they too are conspicuous by thier absence this year. Hopefully it's just the cooler weather and not varoa mite or another disease. I used to know of hollow tree where we had wild bees every year but it came down in a bad storm a few years ago and now I don't know of any wildie nests either, sad!!!