The Weather Thread! - Page 52

anewyear · #**1531** 19th July 2021, 14:40

What's the score regarding using a fan with a cat in the house? Do I need to be concerned about him trying to stick his paws through the grill? Or is that not gonna happen?

Dougella · #**1532** 19th July 2021, 14:48

^ Probably best to only have it on when you're in the room to supervise and maybe put it up on a surface or a chair if they're less likely to mess with it. Just to be on the safe side.

Consolida · #**1533** 19th July 2021, 15:27

^^ It depends on the age of your cat I think.
Is he a playful youngster who might think it's fun to stick his paw through the grill of the fan or is he like my cats who are lying around the house stretched out on the floor, and too hot to bother with anything? Those fans on a tall stand are good because even a more agile cat is unlikely to mess with that

anewyear · #**1534** 20th July 2021, 22:35

Thanks both. I'm literally about to get a couple of fans out of the loft. He's a year old (13 months next week!) so flits between zoomies mode and lazy mode. Definitely need something running tonight though..!!

biscuits · #**1535** 20th July 2021, 22:57

I think it's vitally important that you need to post a picture of the cat, so we can fully risk assess the situation.

Merritt · #**1536** 23rd July 2021, 21:42

I feel like this summer more than others in the past, I've struggled with the heat and humidity. Constant sweatiness, and having to underdress (by my standards, which is probably still overdressing) so I can't cover up what a misshapen blob of a man I am. I'll probably be grumbling when it's big coat weather again, but can it at least be, like, comfy hoodie weather?

Rocket Spud · #**1537** 7th August 2021, 18:35

This summers been soooo weird. Been getting autumnal feels the past week or so and yet we're in August. It's been hot for two periods, amounting to about three weeks of 'summer' altogether. Not to mention the sheer volume of rain.

biscuits · #**1538** 1st September 2021, 19:03

Well hello, Tuesday!

Rocket Spud · #**1539** 1st September 2021, 19:15

Are you going on tour, bix?

biscuits · #**1540** 1st September 2021, 22:01

^ aw I wish! I might do a tour of the garden - need to check on the bee hotel.

Rocket Spud · #**1541** 5th September 2021, 20:33

^ You got one of those 'insect homes'?

Dunno what to make of the weird, hazy, washed out skies that we've had of late - is there any reason for it? It was particularly odd today.

biscuits · #**1542** 5th September 2021, 21:08

Yeah! I run a bee hotel. It's got a 5 star rating on Trip Advisor.

We've got three of them and they're fully booked.

Here is one:

And this is what the leaf collecting bees use to close up the holes.

Rocket Spud · #**1543** 5th September 2021, 21:16

Resourceful little things aren't they! Is it just those leafs that they use? Are capping the holes for honey? I thought they always made their own 'structure' for storage.

biscuits · #**1544** 5th September 2021, 21:53

Well, I was watching the leaves to see who was making these perfect circles. Along came a bee and it cut out a circle with its mouth and carried it over to the bee hotel.

Then I watched the bee hotel for a while. They visit the tubes multiple times and put pollen inside the tubes. Then they lay an egg and cover up the hole with the leaves that they collect. They don't like being watched, they shooed me away a few times, so I make sure that I watch from a distance. In spring the new solitary bees will emerge from the covered up holes.

One of the hotels has different types of solitary bees in, ones that cover the holes with what looks like a sand/mud mix instead of leaves. I guess those ones are more likely to survive inside their holes over the winter and fend off attacks from parasitic wasps.

Sorry for the long reply! I just love solitary bees!

Rocket Spud · #**1545** 5th September 2021, 22:31

Wow, what goes on in nature! I don't know much about bumble bees - i didn't know for sure whether they were solitary or not. Are they even gendered?

Can't believe they shoo you away. Have you tried wearing black and yellow when watching them?

Dougella · #**1546** 5th September 2021, 23:23

^^ That's so lovely. The life of bees.

Percy · #**1547** 5th September 2021, 23:32

Nature is amazing

biscuits · #**1548** 6th September 2021, 18:41

They're very sweet, aren't they! Here is one surfing on a leaf heheh:

weeeeee!

(I didn't take that pic)

@Spud hahah *orders bees costume on ebay*

Yep. You get males and females. The females do all the nest building stuff and laying the eggs. The male solitary bees go round pollinating flowers and then they mate with a female and then after doing the deed they die! Poor little fellas!

They're really chilled, solitary bees, because they don't have a queen to protect. They don't make honey either.

Chess&Junkfood · #**1549** 6th September 2021, 22:30

Yeah, I'm not sure what to say about this!

Although I was going for a certain theme at one point

But I then got sidetracked with how many items a bee could carry!

Like you do

I was even going to do more than 3 items that a bee could carry

But at that point

I started to question what I was doing with my life!

So, anyway

Now seems like a good time to buzz off!

Although before I do buzz off.....

The bee hotel is fantastic, biscuit!

genovese · #**1550** 7th September 2021, 00:38

^

biscuits · #**1551** 7th September 2021, 05:55

!!

KellyUK · #**1552** 7th September 2021, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket Spud

Wow, what goes on in nature! I don't know much about bumble bees - i didn't know for sure whether they were solitary or not. Are they even gendered?

Can't believe they shoo you away. Have you tried wearing black and yellow when watching them?

I've had two bumble bee nests in my garden over the last five years - one was near the roof of my house and the other was on the ground amongst overgrown foliage in a shady area. It was lovely to watch them come and go.

Bumble bee nests are safer to be around than honey bee or wasps nests, as long as you don't do anything silly like put your hand in the nest or breath over it.

Some bumble bees are solitary and some live in hives, though I don't think their hives are as big as honey bee ones. Most of the individuals are female - including the Queen and most of the workers - and a few males emerge towards the end of the nests lifespan to mate with the new Queens who hatch. The old Queen dies and the newly mated Queens over-winter somewhere until late winter / early spring to start a new nest

Rocket Spud · #**1553** 2nd November 2021, 22:05

Good bee infos and entertainment, thanks!

Had a sumptuous sunshine coming through my bedroom window when i got back from work today. It was a low setting sun and the whole room was bathed in a golden warmth.

Rocket Spud · #**1554** 4th November 2021, 19:15

The hand moisturiser is out. This stuff is a god send.

The other day i watched an elderly lady have to lick her fingertips wet to pickup a small/medium parcel!

biscuits · #**1555** 27th November 2021, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket Spud

The hand moisturiser is out. This stuff is a god send.

The other day i watched an elderly lady have to lick her fingertips wet to pickup a small/medium parcel!

maybe she was flirting with you

biscuits · #**1556** 27th November 2021, 08:17

It supposed to snow today! Woooo!

etc.

Rocket Spud · #**1557** 27th November 2021, 09:29

^ Nooooooooo ....... ooo .... ! No no no!

^^ It's possible. It's possible. Probably not though.

She did share her amusement in doing it too - it wasn't me just watching on at a 'helpless old lady'

biscuits · #**1558** 27th November 2021, 10:11

Haha The pro seductress - she knew what she was doing

Rocket Spud · #**1559** 27th November 2021, 10:14

Mm, come to think of it, there may have been a twinkle of the eye.. somewhere behind the cataract

Percy · #**1560** 27th November 2021, 10:34

It's a bit blustery down here today