Tag Archives: bee

Robbing Bees

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Laura Rittenhouse

Well, it’s happened. I’ve got robber bees in the apiary. I’m suspicious it’s not the first time, just the first time I realised something was amiss and put in the effort to figure out what was wrong. Here’s what I … Continue reading →

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Bath Time

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

My chickens are keen bathers. It’s not uncommon to find all three of them in a “tub” together. Their tubs of preference are in my sage and parsley bed (not my favourite option) and in the ginger bed. Here they … Continue reading →

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Winter Pollinators

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

Amongst the long list of things I know nothing or little about in my garden is pollinators. The extent of my knowledge is that a wise gardener encourages flowers and insects in the garden because pollinators like flowers and are … Continue reading →

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Wild Squash

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Laura Rittenhouse

This squash vine (jap pumpkin?) grew all on its own in what I’ve been calling the strawberry bed. It is a voracious grower and seems to have no pests or mould (unlike whatever I plant with TLC). I thought it … Continue reading →

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Native Bee Nursery

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Laura Rittenhouse

Today a) Frank finished the bee’s house by installing the mud bricks and b) we realised bees have found the house and set up camp. There are quite a few blocked holes in Frank’s logs where the bees have laid … Continue reading →

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Birdbath visited

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Laura Rittenhouse

For the first time I saw a bird (noisy miner) visiting the birdbath today. At first he was just drinking, then he took the plunge in the deep side of the pool and flapped for all he was worth. He … Continue reading →

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Leafcutter Bee

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Laura Rittenhouse

This fantastic native leafcutter bee LOVES my sunflowers. Check out his back left leg, it’s loaded with pollen. As is his entire underside. He’s one of the local solitary bees. Frank’s busy building a rather impressive bee house that will … Continue reading →

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Bees

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Laura Rittenhouse

Every  morning I walk down to survey my sunflowers and, without fail, I find at least one bee loading its hind legs with pollen. Frank’s going to install a bee box near here to attract the local solitary bees. I … Continue reading →

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