Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Showing posts with label bumblebees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bumblebees. Show all posts

Friday, 9 August 2013

Bumblebee sex? The Echinops and Sunflower bed in daylight.


This is the flower bed I was talking about last night



 In daylight it is even more smothered in bumblebees and butterflies than at dusk.



I spend ages watching what is going on and find the variety of different bumblebees incredible and I always see something new.



After I watched the bees and the butterfly for a bit, I then saw a most unusual sight - I am not sure what was going on here, whether it was a pair of Bumblebees fighting, or mating.



but a very large bumblebee had a smaller bumblebee on its back and the smaller one on top did not want to get off! Another bee was hanging around them as well. Probably mating related I think.


The pair went round and round this flower head several times in a cinch, until eventually the smaller bee unclasped itself and flew off.


The larger bee stayed on the flower for a few more moments then flew off as well.

Fascinating :)

Thursday, 8 August 2013

Huge numbers of Bumblebees.


Tonight, as I was heading back to the house after hen shutting up and polytunnel watering duties, I stopped to admire the sheer number of bees on the perennial Sunflowers and Globe thistle.



We have a huge bed of them by the garage and the Thistle in particular is simply smothered in Bumblebees.


I must take some photos in daylight!

Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Lammas greetings - .



So, the end of July and tomorrow is Lammas Day . The garden is in full production now and I am bringing in loads of assorted vegetables and fruits for us to enjoy.


Unfortunately the Rivers Early plum tree split under the sheer weight of plums ( again) it has done this before and we really can't think how to prevent it - the branches are not really suitable to prop up - I think a severe prune is needed.



My pumpkins are doing very well - this is Jack o lantern - should get some huge pumpkins off these plants - I have five of these and five Butternut Squash plants and all are setting fruit very well.

I am picking lots of chard and spinach and today I gathered onions, the first leeks, turnips, beetroot and courgettes - but the salads, caulis and calebrese all seem to be bolting. I guess it has just been too hot for them, even though I watered them every night. I am ppicking the brassica leaves so we will still get to eat something off them :-)

And of course I am picking tomatoes every day, and now the aubergine and pepper plants have ripe fruits to pick. Today we also harvested the last of the broad beans. Which means we are eating lots of lovely fresh produce at every meal.

Off to bake a loaf of lammas bread and walk in the wood in the dusk :)

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Bumblebees nest in the bird box

 This is the Bumblebee nest on the side of the garage - it is absolutely heaving with bees coming and going :-)


 I took a short video of the activity


 If you can , zoom in on the hole...you will be surprised at what you see.



Edited to add - Apparently these are Bombus hypnorum - its a new ish Bumblebee which has gradually moved across from Europe to the UK - and it is also called the Tree Bumblebee - and likes nesting in holes in trees - which of course is what a nest box looks like :-)
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