VIDEO: Remarkable sight as bees take over

‘Tawny’ bees believed to stem from the dry slopes of Totternhoe Knolls have made their homes in a number of nearby gardens, creating a neverending hum.

But it seems the seasonal visitors – although uninvited – are gradually winning over their hosts.

Angela Townsend told the LBO: “We’re quite happy with them, we haven’t got a family but I walk across the garden and they don’t sting.

“We moved to the area about three years ago and they come every year.”

It is believed the bees are tawny mining bees, common in England and Wales. The bee lives across Europe, from as far south as the Balkans and up to Scandinavia and the United Kingdom.

They live in light woodlands and dry grasslands, and also in parks and gardens.

They are usually active in early summer, and are ground-nesting bees found in lawns and short turf.

Anglea added: “There were a lot of them about, but it has gone down in the last few days because it’s a bit windy and we’ve had some rain.”

One mystery surrounds the tawny bees late annual appearance in Totternhoe – as the bees are usually found between March and May.

Andrea said: “They were here last year. We were wondering perhaps if they were nesting or laying their young.

“They appear in early September, it’s actually quite nice to see them at work and the neighbours don’t seem too bothered about it either.

“When they get going there are thousands of them. But they just hang around and don’t cause any trouble.”

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