Tootfinder

Des bourdons qui filent pas le cafard #nature #bees

We only have a small garden, and we mostly grow flowers in containers. Since the end of last week's warm weather the lobelia has been going absolutely great guns, and I popped outside at lunchtime to find five bees happily lapping pollen & nectar from this single container alone.
Elsewhere in the garden there were another 6 or 7 bees and two small white butterflies. This has made my day!
#BloomScrolling #bees

"Students develop rocket engine powered by beeswax"
#Bees #Rockets
https://techxplor…

Students develop rocket engine powered by beeswax
A group of Kingston University in London engineering students have developed a rocket engine powered by an unusual but highly sustainable energy source—beeswax.

Is there an entomologist on the line? I have noticed at least 3 different bumble bees with this strange pale mark on the back (it's difficult to see clearly because they're never still).
I *think* it might be a kind of mite (varroa?) , they clearly feel it because I could see all the bees were stroking it occasionally with a leg, but they still continued flying and feeding. This was the best of about a hundred photos I tried to take with my phone!
Any clues what it is? @… #bumblebee #bees #mites #Mitestodon
Edit: new photo crop might be clearer

"Scientists embark on crucial study to save Britain's bees"
#UK #UnitedKingdom #Bees #Insects

Scientists embark on crucial study to save Britain's bees