bumblebees

[maryas]

If I remember rightly, about a year ago we had a post on Purrs about a bee killing their cat -  think it was Mrs R.

Could you maybe put some garden sticks around the are and attach some fine netting to stop the bees getting to it and then they would realise they had no chance and BUZZ off

Mary

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I've found that even if you touch them (ie if I'm trying to pick up a fallen bee, or move on to a less vulnerable place if it's "resting" on the ground" the most they do by way of self defence is wave a tremulous leg at you - "pweeze dunt squish me......"         

[Kay and Penny]

thanks for the advice folks

bumblebees do seem to go about their  business without being a threat - they very rarely come into the house -  so the catmint can stay for them - I still find it a bit disconcerting to see the cats asleep surrounded by lots of bees, but I daresay I'll get used to it

[emmmy_lou]

If the cats aren't chasing them, then i wouldn't be concerned. I would just leave it be, after all, we need to look after our bees!

They are probably at as much risk as yourself getting stung, and will only do so if they are being threatened unless Im mistaken.

[Bren22]

I have a huge group of lavender bushes in my front garden (from when we were advised that due to global warming our gardens should all be drought resistant!!!) and at the moment there are hundreds, not exaggerating, of large stripy furry bumblebees happily getting drunk on the nectar.  The cats just ignore them and the bees are too busy to bother the cats, so I wouldn't worry.  I did once have a cat that tried to eat a wasp and got its tongue stung -not pleasant but luckily not deadly.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

There are happily a lot of them about now Kay, which is lovely to see, but I understand your concern.  I think much depends on the cats themselves.

Both Ross and Tinky dont bother the bumblebees much in the garden - occasionally they take a half hearted swipe, but the bees are a bit too erratic for them, flightwise.  Ross had one land on him the other night, while he was taking his ease by the back door.  He just stared at it, half interested and half unconcerned.  It flew off before he'd decided what, if anything, he should be doing about it. Paddy and Mac never got stung either, and didnt bother about the bees.   The boys do try to catch the butterflies, but as I've never heard of anything being butterflyed to death, it doesn't worry me.   

When we had Flynn, he was stung twice, but then he was a very curious and persistent little lad, bless his heart.  His paw swelled up a fair bit each time, but an application of bicarb after we got the sting out settled it down, and you can give cats anti-histamines in the same way you do people.

[Kay and Penny]

I have a very large and very floppy catmint plant which the cats like to lie near out in the enclosure - unfortunately the flowers are attracting a lot of bumblebees, which have a nest next door - so the cats have 15 or more bumblebees flying around millimetres from them

I have never seen any of t he cats take the slightest interest in these bees, and I am hoping the bees would not sting unless provoked - there   still has to be a chance of a cat lying on one, or unintentionally trapping one in a paw

does anyone have any experience of bumblebees stinging cats, or are they pretty harmless? I don't want to cut the catmint right down, but I will if it would be safer to do so