Bumblebees PLUS news archive

21/11/2022

Missed our first Bumblebee PLUS Rally 2022? If you couldn't make it, at least take a look at our website, where you'll find Report from the event 

24/10/2022

We are working on the preparations for the Bumblebee PLUS Gathering 2022. We have opened registration today. 

We have prepared "Slet" as the first meeting for bombusophiles, i.e. enthusiasts and bumblebee lovers.

As part of the Gathering, there will be short lectures on the topic of bumblebees, their protection, and the protection of their environment. You will also hear about bees and their diversity, about nature conservation projects, about experiences and working with young people in Germany, and much more.

To cover more of the areas you're interested in and have written to us about, the programme will also include discussion groups led by tutors.

We definitely want to use the meeting for mutual introduction and informal discussion.

Date: Saturday 5 November 2022
Schedule: Programme from 11:00 to 17:00, followed by discussion groups and free programme.
Venue: Klub Na Věnečku, Ostrovského 38a, 150 00 Prague 5 Smíchov
Map coordinates: 50.067886, 14.395403
Reference HERE  
The location is a 10-minute walk from the B Metro station – Na Knížecí exit (Ženské domovy).
Transport Public transport / own means of transport.
Parking is not provided; for those travelling from outside Prague, using Park and Ride facilities and public transport is recommended.
Can one park on adjacent streets on blue zones, or public parking spaces – see Internet
You can also find information on parking in Prague here: https://parking.praha.eu/cs/moznosti-parkovani-v-praze/
Catering Lunch and refreshments will be prepared on-site upon prior order, drinks available for purchase on-site.
Registration: please complete the attached form, which you will find HERE
At the same time, you will find information on how to send your participation fee and choose refreshments according to your taste.
The participant's contribution will be used as a share of the costs for the Gathering.

Registration and payment of the participation fee are conditions for attending the Assembly.

We look forward to seeing you!

Please register in advance, no later than 31/10/2022.
Your Bumblebees PLUS

18/10/2022

We have fixed About Us, where we accidentally dropped the entire side menu with codes, media promotion results, and recommendations for manufacturers. At the same time, we opened the last „silent“ section CM PLUS OFFER. We've already had many events behind us, with more and more to come. We will gradually publish here not only the current planned rally, but also our long-term projects that we are working on. And in time, those already realised will also be covered, so that after the battle, every follower can be a general 🙂 ... Because our scope is no longer just limited to sharing information online... 

13/9/2022

We have prepared an updated set of leaflets to promote bumblebees and their protection. You can download the leaflets HERE sky HERE 

7/9/2022

Dear friends,
As we previously announced, the “Čmeláci PLUS” Association (z.s.) is planning to organise the event "ČMELÁČÍ PLUS SLET 2022" in the autumn.”
The aim is to bring together enthusiasts involved with bumblebees, their protection, and the protection of their habitats.

Core Programme
Lectures/seminars on the topic of bumblebees
Lectures on bumblebees and the protection of nature and the environment
Networking within the community of enthusiasts and establishing collaborations
Product presentation for bumblebee breeders
Further topics of interest
* Informal discussion

ROUGH TIMELINE:
* Opening – Saturday afternoon
End – Saturday evening (to allow for return flight home to base)

MEETING POINT
Will be specified according to interest
We assume a space in a location that will be easily accessible by transport.
As this is the first gathering, we would like to ask for your confirmation of interest. Based on the result, we will plan the space and scope of the meeting.
If you are interested in participating, please complete the brief survey attached – it will help us prepare the event.
You can also get involved and help with the preparation of the rally and indicate this in the survey.

Thank you for yourCompletion of the survey:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeE2IMJP2QJ8tNIsb_k2rnf4Lui3maQ3jSCooKNorK0NoUN8Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

We look forward to seeing you!

Bumblebees PLUS
#cmelaciplusslet2022

6/9/2022

We buzzed on the airwaves again, this time on Radio Wave. You can listen to the recording HERE

11/7/2022

You can find the second part of our chat with Dagmar and Petr on Podcast 42, this time titled „About the collision of a bumblebee with business and other chat“ HERE 

27/6/2022

The first part of our chat with Dagmar and Petr on Podcast 42, titled „I love bumblebees, therefore I am,“ can be found HERE 

7/6/2022

You recently expressed interest in stickers from the Čmeláci PLUS z.s. association. As a non-profit organisation, we cannot and do not want to sell anything. However, you can receive stickers from us as a thank you for a financial donation, which will support our activities.

If you send us an amount of at least 250 CZK to account 123-5802630277 / 0100, you will receive two club stickers from us by post.
To the recipient, please include the word GIFT and your name. At the same time, please send your name and address to info@cmelaciplus.cz

On request, we can also issue you with a confirmation of the donation made.

Your financial contribution will be used for the operation and development of the website www.cmelaciplus.cz, Čmeláčí Rychlá Rota member patches, the Čmeláčí PLUS Seed Bank, informational leaflets, as well as newly prepared projects.
We'd be grateful if you could help us in what we do in this way. You'll be supporting our projects for the protection and promotion of bumblebees, as well as nature education and conservation.
Thank you! Bumblebees PLUS z.s.

Sticker Pack Association – 2022

20/5/2022

Bumblebees PLUS participated in the filming of the show Víkend – Green Heroes. We were invited by Milan and the project of Komerční banka a.s.

You can find the programme in the TV Nova archive. HERE (9:45 PM) 

29/3/2022

After consulting with wool experts, we have adjusted the procedure for washing sheep's fleece. The wool now fibres better. The procedure is HERE

19/3/2022

It took us a long time, but we have released a new page concerning bumblebee breeding, or rather, the fight against the greater wax moth (Aphomia sociella). The page describes the use of a „miracle remedy“ as well as its drawbacks. Therefore, our recommendation is very cautious.

You will find the page HERE 

12/3/2022

The start of the season is approaching, and so the nervousness of beekeepers is increasing. Many beginners can't stand it and want to place their hives outside. But when is the right moment? We've prepared a new page where we'll give beekeepers guidelines to help them decide. The page is HERE.

8/3/2022

Are you getting ready for the season? We have a (new) old novelty for you that we want to test. It's an alternative to the mesh under the bait hive. The aim is to drain some of the moisture that sometimes plagues the nest. You can read about this solution HERE.

23/2/2022

We have already written about sealing here, but we are returning to it. We offer a small modification that increases both safety and comfort. You can find the description HERE

12/2/2022

Since it looks like we were hibernating, it was exactly the opposite. On Facebook (META) Bumblebees PLUS We publish new posts time and time again.

Today we are releasing 2 new pages and one updated page:
 We discussed the issue separately Thermal insulation and heating for bumblebee nests
 Next, we updated the page describing the thermal insulation of the hive's exterior. There, it comes out as best thermal insulation properties
 We then created a new page, where we describe our servicesHeating solutions for the ullage space, including precise temperature control.

31/1/2022

For beekeepers – designers, who wish to build their own beehive, we have prepared a complete guide to building a polystyrene beehive. You can find the page HERE

17/1/2022

Another species of bumblebee now has its own page on our website. This time it's the white-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum). You may find that it's not always possible to reliably identify a bumblebee species, and we'll explain why. You can find the page HERE
Many thanks to Alice and Monica for their patient corrections of our linguistic „grammar tangles“!

7/1/2022

We are gradually updating our guides on the website. We've now updated the page on how to obtain bumblebees in the Czech Republic. You can find the page HERE
If you wish to purchase bumblebees (which we do not recommend), make enquiries about the seller and ask to see the bumblebees' proof of origin.

Prevent the release of hybrid bumblebees intended for pollination services into our natural environment! 

Happy New Year 2022

Happy New Year 2022!

We entered the New Year as The Bumblebees PLUS Association. 

16/12/2021

And here's another page about bumblebee species, this time it's dedicated to an abundant, yet interesting species, which is Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). You will also find a comparison with other similar types, with which you can substitute it.

8/12/2021

After a long time, we've returned to work on the bumblebee catalogue. I've prepared a page for you with our mascot – field bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum). We will be continuously adding our/your photos and videos to this page.

15/11/2021

Bumblebee PLUS Seed Bank already has 70+ species of bee-friendly plant seeds. At the same time, we've added a link to an interesting lecture there. Ing. Kateřina Smékalová, Ph.D.

11/10/2021 

We're launching the Bumblebee PLUS Seed Bank!
If you have any seeds of nectar-producing plants and are wondering what to do with them, take a look at our new website. Bumblebees PLUS Seedbank. 
We are starting gradually by collecting seeds into the warehouse. We look forward to your seed contributions which you wish to share with others.

19/9/2021

We invite you to a webinar by the Calla association, „About bumblebees and people.“ 
You can find information on how to connect HERE

27/8/2021

On Saturday 28/8, listen to the programme Natura on Český rozhlas PLUS. It's a discussion on the topic of „pollination services and bumblebees in the Czech Republic“.“
You will then find the record HERE

24/8/2021

The much-needed methodology from the Ministry of Environment on the use of bumblebees for pollination services is here. You can find the link to it, along with other materials, HERE
At the same time, you will also find a link to the media that have recently addressed this topic, stirring it up with sensational headlines.

3/8/2021

Today we are publishing a new page on our catalogue, which describes the first bumblebee – the vestal bumblebee (Bombus vestalis).
Hopefully, people getting to know him better will help the public's perception of bumblebees. You'll see for yourselves how beautiful he is and how complex his life is. The bumblebee also has its place in nature and deserves our attention and protection.
You can find a page about him HERE

26/7/2021

Work on the bumblebee species catalogue continues – we're publishing a page on the red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius). You can find the page HERE

25/7/2021

„The world is full of clever and diligent Czechs who are proud of their nationality and for whom it is important to pass on their culture and language to their children. The network of Czech schools is diligently expanding around the world; some children will stay abroad, others will return to the Czech Republic, but they all have one thing in common: they learn to understand where they come from. In Frankfurt, this has been the case for 10 years! Nature conservation knows no borders and can be beautifully and meaningfully combined with language learning. „
This is how Anička Hlaváčková writes about a school project in which children were introduced to the world of bumblebees. You can read about this project, as well as others, HERE  

24/7/2021

The Seznam Zprávy article „Pollinate and Perish! The Ministry Has Prepared a Bumblebee Massacre“ and our reaction to it can be found here HERE

20/7/2021

After two years, we are publishing an article on our website from our Facebook Čmeláci PLUS. It's an interesting topic that is repeatedly discussed and is a kind of bumblebee HOAX = an unfounded false alarm.
To set the record straight and to disabuse many of you, I will read the article Murderous Lime TreesYou will find an explanation there for why we are again finding dead or dying bumblebees under the lime trees. Perhaps the explanation will surprise you, and you will share this information with others.

17/7/2021

As promised, we are working on a catalogue of bumblebee species. We want to introduce individual species and supplement the descriptions with information that can be useful to everyone – nature enthusiasts, breeders, as well as clubs and schools. We will gradually add interesting photographs and details on taxonomy to these pages.
So don't be surprised if the pages are lively and grow, like a bumblebee's nest.
The first person we want to introduce to you is the beautiful Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum).I hope you like it – it’s about our catalogue.

30/6/2021

Today we are releasing to the world a chapter of information about the killer wasp Melittobia acasta. This time it will be about jwhen your dread strikes, and also whether it's always truly the end

22/6/2021

Our antivirus, Avast, is causing us a bit of trouble and flagging issues on the website. We're trying to resolve it.
We've released a new page about the killer wasp Melittobia acasta and its effect on the nest. We are completing the follow-up section where we will describe how an attacked nest can be dealt with, or an attempt made to save it.

16/6/2021

Money doesn't smell, so laboratory hybrid bumblebees are spreading into the wild... oh dear

https://budejovice.rozhlas.cz/antonin-pelisek-cmelaci-8514137

16/6/2021

If you feel we are neglecting the website, please take a look at our Facebook pages Čmeláci PLUS and Cmeláci PLUS – Discussion Forum to see why.
We're going there for an online consultation, and most importantly, a lot Bumblebee Rapid Response Actions

Also look at the video on YouTube, Bee-eaters PLUS
We've now fixed a small bug – Lenka Vetterman's cooling frame and our alternative solution

5/5/2021

The author of the blog U Meduňek has prepared for us, and especially for you. Bumblebee playing. We published it in the "Bumblebees PLUS" section at school.

27/4/2021

On the YouTube channel Čmeláci PLUS, you'll find a new video where we describe meadow bumblebee. Let's add videos to the chapter Types of bumblebees in the Czech Republic.

20/4/2021

We've added another bumblebee profile, this time about Rock bumblebee. 

18/4/2021

Look at the updates from the past week. In the Bumblebees PLUS section at school we have added 

We are continuously updating our guides. These are not fundamental changes, but the updates reflect new experiences and respond to your queries. For example, we have now updated Instructions for using the protective flap.

Also, check out our YouTube videos on Bumblebees PLUS. There you'll find videos where we describe the queens of the basic bumblebee species: Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) a Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum). We will be adding videos on an ongoing basis.

10/4/2021

We have revamped the first page and opened a brand new section for children (and adults) – Bumblebees PLUS at school.We want to introduce them to the beauty of bumblebees, their importance, and their protection through offers of games, colouring pages, and educational materials for schools, nurseries, and parents. Because, as we know, it's just the beginning with bumblebees :). The first materials are available – colouring pages and puzzles from our colleague Jana Lörinczová.

1/4/2021

We have supplemented Procedure for seating a queen in a hive. We have added new video text to it. You can also find the videos on YouTube Cmelaci PLUS

22/2/2021

We have reviewed the pages with Here's how to prepare your beehive for the season:. Compared to last season, there are a few minor changes. For example, based on experiences with large nests, we no longer strongly recommend using moss as it sometimes has a tendency to rot.

21/2/2021

We have published a page describing basic information and the issue of thermal insulation of bumblebee houses (bumblebee nests). There we also describe how to modify a bumblebee house to improve its thermal insulation (we will be testing the house throughout the 2021 season).
You will find the page HERE

14/2/2021

We've updated the page that describes Mothers returning to their nests. We have clarified some passages here to make them more understandable. 

9/2/2021

We've opened new pages Bumblebee medallions.You will gradually find information here about people who are involved in promoting and protecting bumblebees in the Czech Republic. 

7/2/2021

We are gradually going through and updating some pages. We are incorporating new experiences into them. We are just releasing a new page to help you find suitable Location for placing a beehive in the garden.You will also find examples of the technical solutions you will need.

25/1/2021

Have you bought a poorly constructed bee house (bumblebee nest) and are wondering what to do next? On our pages, you will find updated Information about products we do not recommend but also an example, How to modify a commercially produced hive if you cannot advertise it.

21/1/2021

Are you thinking about how to occupy a bee house with bumblebees at the start of the season? You will certainly find our updated text on pathways useful, jif you can get bumblebees for your owl. 

11/1/2021

We have published a new page about bee-eaters and the first post on it about the ostriches. These are interesting birds, who have a specific way of hunting and especially of storing their prey.

7/1/2020

If you make your own beehives or adapt ones you've bought, a new page will be useful to you. About materials for ventilation grilles. 

We wish everyone Happy Happy New Year 2021. Above all, let's wish for health, because without it, nothing else is possible. 

We look forward to it with you on the new bumblebee season. 

19/12/2020

We accepted the invitation from the bee promoter, Mr. Jiří Cafouk to the association Bee guard to a seminar about bumblebees. Our common Beehouse keeper it was filmed and is available on YouTube Bees PLUS.

8/12/2020

We have prepared another page for you. On it, we will share examples of your gardens, adapted for coexisting with bumblebees and nature.
If you have examples of when you've gone beyond the ordinary flowerbed and created space for nature, please share them with others.
New pages about you and your gardens can be found HERE.

2/12/2020

Flowery meadows are all the rage right now. You can read about meadows, their importance, how to promote them in your village/town, as well as how to go about it and what to watch out for. HERE. 
At the same time, we have created a space for you to share good examples. This part of our website also serves as a hall of fame, but also as motivation for your councillors: „Our neighbours are moving with the times, so what are we waiting for?“.
Don't be afraid to implement change and be proud of positive examples!
The bumblebee honour board is ready for you HERE. 

23/11/2020

Thanks to an invitation from the production team of the show Herbář, we had the opportunity to film a short segment and introduce bumblebees and Čmeláky PLUS. The show can be viewed in the ČT1 Herbář Archive.  HERE
However, as always, not everything fit into the show, and there is a story connected to it. If you are interested in how the whole show came about and stories from filming, take a look HERE

11/11/2020

Christmas is approaching, and many people interested in keeping bumblebees might decide to „go for it“. Choosing a suitable hive (bumblebee box) is one of the things that determines future success. Therefore, we have prepared a list of examples of commercially available hives on our website, which we definitely do not recommend purchasing. 
It would be easier to draw up a list of recommended manufacturers. However, this would violate the principle of our independence and fair competition. This forces manufacturers to come up with innovations and reduces the final price of the product. This is also a help for beekeepers and breeders, which is precisely why we chose this path.
We will gradually amend the pages with unsuitable products as we discover further bad examples (we will add them to our list), or conversely, if the manufacturer modifies their products due to market pressure (we will remove them from our list).
And you can help us with this kind of work – Write to us Should you have any concerns about our products, please email info@cmelaciplus.cz.
Page of inappropriate commercially available wipes will find HERE

7/11/2020
We are starting to publish modifications and improvements tried and tested this year. These can also be minor things, like a canopy over a protective flap. If you have the time and inclination, take a look at gadgets And try to make such a canopy

30/10/2020

If you missed the broadcast of Czech Radio PLUS, which featured a short programme about bumblebees on 30/10, you can listen to it again from the archive at 7:25 

12/10/2020

Since the end of last week we've had an outage on the website, but everything is now okay and we are continuing to work on the site.

10/10/2020

At last, peace and quiet have allowed us to dedicate some time to information about the lives of bumblebees themselves. Their long-time expert and observer, Jaromír Čížek, sent us a text about overwintering of bumblebee queens, one of those periods of life hidden from humans.

We recommend it :), as it's information you'll hardly find anywhere else.

1/10/2020

It looks like we've been sleeping and lazing about. But we have important and quite extensive posts for you about the end of the bumblebee breeder season, about cleaning and tidying of the hive

At the same time, you will read a very interesting description of how to read at the end of the season from an empty hive, what you can learn there and what lessons you can gain.

Also visit the Čmeláci PLUS YouTube channel, where there are many videos about bumblebees.

26/6/2020

We've got our hands full with work around the Rapid Response Rat Pack at the moment. Most rescue calls are being handled by our fans on Facebook; they disappear quickly there.

However, on our homepage, we've created space for prompts for those of you who do not partake in social media.  So keep an eye on the page, so you don't miss out on nest rescues..

Two articles were published about the Company – in Culinary Botany and Prima Living. Perhaps you will like them.

9/6/2020

We have added pages about Stories of the Bumblebee Rapid Squad members. These are authentic stories and perspectives from those who experienced it.

8/6/2020

We have opened pages on our website where we will describe care of the goose and its inhabitantse. as the first we published there checks carried out inside the hive. The checks, along with the protective elements, are part of the care for the hive so that the bumblebees can thrive in the hive.
Because for some people checks are a problem and they have concerns about them, the pages are quite detailed. We want to continue working on them and supplement them with visual documentation. The whole should help beginner breeders and make checks as easy as possible.

We understand that for some people, hive inspections are a problem. It's up to you whether you use them or are convinced of their importance through your own practice.  

3/6/2020

We have opened another pages of the Bumblebee Rapid Response Unit. You will find there list of bumblebee nest rescuers a examples of rescue missions. 
Will your name appear here too? If you want to get involved, follow the Bumblebees PLUS Facebook page. Today we found a nest rescuer in 17 minutes...

29/5/2020

The instructions on the website were missing one rather important guide for bumblebee keepers, but it is no longer missing.
If you require instructions on when and how to ventilate a bumblebee colony, you just need to read the instructions.

We will soon add tips on how to reduce humidity in the hive and whether it is actually necessary.

26/5/2020

We have prepared for you Chapter on the parasitic vine (Aphomia sociella). Sometimes the name of this parasite is given as the bumblebee moth.
It’s not pleasant reading, just as it’s not pleasant to have a bumblebee nest attacked by this enemy. However, if you read this chapter, you will understand why and how this nocturnal moth behaves, and how to recognise when it has attacked a bumblebee nest.
This allows you to defend against it better and prevent the destruction of the nest.  

23/5/2020

We found the beautiful website of the Museum of the Earth in NY. It also has Beautiful pages dedicated to all bees.

We added toLinks to interesting information sources.

 20/5/2020

The time of the meal moth (Aphomia) is approaching, and many beekeepers have not adjusted their ventilation according to our recommendations. Adjusting an occupied hive is now difficult, so we have described additional ventilation modification of commercially available beehives as part of the nice-to-haves. it's nothing complicated, try it yourself and you'll see.

18/5/2020

Today we received information about a bumblebee nest requiring evacuation, and within 15 minutes, we found someone interested in it. 
Everything is going so fast that a nest saver is found terribly quickly. We are offering them on Facebook, in case you are interested, it's really easy there and 1-2 done.

Patches with the bumblebee rescuer logo are waiting for you too…

15/5/2020

We've opened a new section on the website. SOS! Bumblebee nest in an unsuitable location regarding the part describing Bumblebee's Fast Troop.

We have also attached interesting information about our cooperation with the HZS JM region.
In the chapter, we also added Leaflet with contact details for the Company. 

14/5/2020

We've opened a new section on the website. SOS! Bumblebee nest in an unsuitable location.

This section should provide you with information and help in case bumblebee neighbours move in and you feel threatened – you and your children. Likewise, you will find help there if you yourself find a bumblebee nest under threat – for example, if it's dug up by a dog, or threatened by building renovations, etc. 
The section will soon also include information about the Bumblebee Quick Response rescue team. There you will learn what to do if it is really necessary to evacuate a threatened bumblebee nest and possibly how you can get involved in such a rescue yourself.

10/5/2020

We've been given an opportunity to appear on Czech Television and present bumblebees and our work in the form of an interview. 
The programme is available here (You'll find 4 parts there). Hopefully, we succeeded and helped the bumblebees. 

30/4/2020

We are opening another part of our help for insects in gardens. This time with an article about dead-nettles. They are beautiful, easy-to-grow herbs. There are also garden varieties with decorative leaves. The dead-nettle is ideal for otherwise bare 🙂 spots under trees and bushes. So have a look...

26/4/2020 

• On Saturday 25/4, we were filming an interview and videos in Prague 5 with editors from Praha TV.
• The material was heavily edited... but thank you nonetheless. 
• However, we did manage to spark interest in bumblebees and point interested parties towards a group that can tell them something about bumblebees and offer functional suggestions to those interested in bumblebees.
• You can find the report HERE

25/4/2020

In nature, it has warmed up, bumblebee mothers have established nests, and they are appearing Cuckoo bees – cuckoo bumblebees. It is good to look at the raccoons and consider what can/cannot be done with these pests and how to defend against them. 

23.4.2020 

• Not all bumblebees are the same. Don't buy non-native species suited only for greenhouses. The topic of hybrid bumblebees has also made its way into other media.
• The Bumblebee PLUS group was named as one of the entities that is highlighting these bumblebees and dishonest sales.
• The report is available HERE 

17/04/2020 The media showed interest in our work and findings.

• An article has been published on Ekolist.cz describing the practices of a dishonest seller and their sales of hybrid bumblebees intended for greenhouse work, for amateur gardeners and those who want to do something for nature.
• you will find the article HERE 

15/4/2020

We haven't forgotten about our website, we've just been busy with and are still busy with the advisory service. Many breeders are currently troubled by questions such as: „Is the queen there? What is it doing there? Isn't it strange that it's not flying?“
Let's see how it is then and what A hen sits on the nest after settling in. 
You will definitely read the text and, above all, stay calm and let the mothers work – everything will be fine.

8/4/2020

We have returned to the unfortunately still relevant topic, which is nEffective sale of bumblebees for use in greenhouses and enclosed spaces. Do you know that this is not just about endangering nature, but that it also carries risks of punishment for those who buy such bumblebees and do not have a permit from the Regional Office?
We would be pleased if you would also pass this information on to the Vendor's other clients, or to your friends – those interested in such bumblebees.

Bumblebees for pollination services in greenhouses
Bee seller web photo

 7/4/2020

We are gradually adding current videos to our posts. Thanks to this, you will find in the guides on settling in the mother demonstration of a reconnaissance flight with a visit to false ground openings. If you take advantage of this, you will be certain that the queen bee is truly searching for a nesting site and that you will catch her very easily and, most importantly, gently.
We have also supplemented the instructions for using the flap with additional videos, for example HERE
Further videos are available at Bumblebees PLUS, which we continuously update.

In the guide to settling in, motherWe highlighted the important information:

• I do not transport mother from afar – Can you accidentally catch a nesting mother This weakens the population at the capture site, and their offspring may not find suitable mates at the site where you reintroduce them. Life would lose its meaning without the next generation.
• It's best to catch the queen near the hive, or at a distance from which you can reach it within 10-15 minutes.. This reduces the time during which the mother is stressed and from Such distances are how far a mother can travel to return to where you intercepted her. (it won't find its nesting site even if it travels more than 3km).

30/3/2020

Some products we encounter are rubbish and their manufacturers/sellers simply don't help breeders or nature... There's nothing for it, so we're opening the pages „Where there's no way forward“.
Here we will warn you about things that don't work and yet someone will try to sell them to you.
The first post we published here was Unsuitable trapping kit.Here you can read about a potential source of problems when introducing a bumblebee queen into a hive. This source is the small diameter of the introducer sold by the largest Czech seller of bumblebee products. We don't know why they do it; perhaps to increase profits. Their previous kit was fine. Hopefully, they will return to it.  

29/3/2020

We're spending a lot of time on the bumblebee advisory service at the moment, the cold days are taking their toll on all of us. However, thanks to your questions we They have supplemented and clarified procedures for protecting beehives (bumblebee nests) from severe night frosts..

24/3/2020
We often get asked about how to help bumblebees that people find sitting on the ground in the spring.
We have already written about it in the post . However, we have now prepared Information leaflet, which can be shared electronically, or downloaded and distributed in paper form as well. There are actually two leaflets, here is sencond So you can choose.
Thank you for sharing the instructions. You will certainly help at least a few bumblebees, and if they are queens, you will give them a chance to establish nests and produce offspring.

Helping bumblebees and nature – Bumblebees PLUS – Large leaflet

We are gradually updating the guide and procedures to help you. Thank you for your feedback and questions, it helps us correct anything that is unclear.
As an example, we provide Video tutorial on introducing a queen bee to a hive.This is a supplement Procedure for fitting a queen in a hive.
The video tutorial is part of the Bumblebee PLUS YouTube channel.

21/3/2020

The first day of spring in the 2020 season, that was a blast. We summarised therefore Guidelines and procedures on how breeders can respond to temperature changes 
Hopefully, it will warm up and these instructions won't be needed this year. However, last May was very cold and we had similar issues. We recommend again - equip your storm shutters in time. thermal insulation and remember that it sometimes needs to be brought indoors and its inhabitants protected.

15/3/2020

The season has begun, we're now quite active online on FB Čmeláci PLUS.
We are adding a lot of videos to the channel YouTube Bees PLUS 
We have added important information that is sometimes forgotten – level with the transom – this may affect the function of... the flap

11/3/2020

We have prepared a very important chapter for breeders, describing the procedure How to teach bumblebees to go through the hive entrance flap (beehive). This is quite an important chapter, because quite often the bees manage the training of the bumblebees, but their keeper doesn't.  
If the breeder doesn't have the nerve for it, they'll leave the flap open and the nest will be destroyed by bumblebee parasites. We hope our guides, procedures, and videos will be helpful to you.

3/3/2020

We have opened a new section „How to protect bumblebees in the landscape and nature“. As the first contribution, we have placed into it  „Bumblebee first aid“, which you can use in the spring.
It's not just about helping, but also a bit about hibernation and whether to help bumblebees in spring, when and how.

 2/3/2020

We've decided to hold a small, non-commercial quiz competition. The first three of you who correctly answer the question “What's in the bag?” (in the picture) and write that you want it (meaning what you guessed) will receive it (by post).

If you know this and want to compete, write your answers to info@cmelaciplus.cz Subject: COMPETITION - What's in the bag?“

The competition closes on 03/03/2020 at noon, or when the number of winners has been reached.

Competition 3/2020

28/2/2020

We celebrated our first birthday. Bumblebees PLUS launched its FB pages on 28/02/2019 🙂

Bumblebee's birthday
Internet Photo

28/2/2020

To the set of basic information and instructions, we have added a description and a list describing possible solution for lifting and lowering flapsand, therefore, the moving parts of the hive's protective flap (bumblebee hive).

26/2/2020

Today we have prepared two chapters. The first describes additional hive insulation. 
The second chapter is a help for successful breeders who After last season, the young mothers are returning to their native corner and want to settle there.. Such lucky people will find advice and guidance useful, so that they don't end up unhappy.

We've also added interesting video about the life cycle of bumblebees 

25/2/2020

We are opening the gardening chapter. How to establish a wildflower meadow – a feature our gardens should have. You can see how the meadow gradually takes shape in the photographs.

24/2/2020

In the chapter dealing with the first steps after the mother has settled in, we add a treatise How to tell by the marks if the queen bee is living in and flying out of the hive.

22/2/2020

We've updated the description Ground support solution Here is an example of a possible solution for ant protection.
We have created pages describing further options for ventilating a hive with a parasite trap.
You will also find surprisingly simple solutions here to improve the safety of the residents of the nest.

21/2/2020

We have added to the chapter Ventilation Mr. Stuchl's ventilation scheme supplemented with an adhesive layer = ventilation with an adhesive trap.
To the breeder's aids, we have added Photographs of bootloader cases, which will make the mother in the stroller in the dark and quiet = less stressed. 

19/2/2020

We have opened a very important chapter on Installing the queen bee in a hive.It's long, but intentionally so. It summarises a range of experience from my own practice, as well as from supporting beginners. Thanks to this, you now have a detailed guide that will make starting your first season with bumblebees easier.

We have also linked our Facebook (FB) pages and our website. Now, even those who are not keen on social media will find out what we are posting on our FB pages, Čmeláci PLUS, and what they might not find here on the website. In the future, however, we also want to save important articles from FB onto the website so that you don't miss anything essential.

16/2/2020

We are moving into the next phase of work on Facebook and we have opened pages. The season begins.

The first chapter describes how a mother looks for places to settle. It is essential to recognise them safely. Search flight.That's why we described it and provided specific (video) examples.
Beginners often make the mistake of trying to introduce a queen bee that is not yet, or is no longer, looking for a new nest. The descriptions and videos will help you become masters at recognising queen bee behaviour – this will be useful to you.
We are saving videos to the channel YouTube Bees PLUS — you can also look at them directly. If you subscribe, you will have an overview of what interesting things we have added for you. 

14/2/2020

We have finished the page about tablewareBreeder aidsHere you will find additional information and videos to illustrate the topics described.

12/2/2020

We are opening new main section, where we will try to help those who have at least a tiny garden or a patch of land to plant their plants, so that their garden can also be a small oasis for the insects and other creatures of our nature.

9/2/2020

We have added a description to the Gadgets section on how to make Earth screw mount. Thanks to the hobby market, it's not that complicated at all, and with a drill, you'll have it done in no time.

Likewise, we've added handy features about what might be bothering you – a small detail and Ulceration improvement. If you use it, your little legs (on the hive) will be as firm as a rock and last longer. 

We then also added and otevřeli FAQ press(Frequently Asked Questions for Beginners). As every year, people ask us about how to build a bee house, and we explain to them that the bee house is just the beginning, and that our primary goal is to support bumblebees, then breed them, and only then do DIY. Someone always gets angry with us because of this, but it only confirms to us that this approach is justified. 🙂

7/2/2020

We've started preparing a selection of articles for the section Interesting facts about bumblebees. 

First, we added a loosely translated article from www.sciencedaily.com, where it is stated Abstract of a scientific paper exploring the flight mechanics and economics of large bumblebees. (with nectar cost). Video for the article It's worth seeing, so we've also put it on the Čmeláci PLUS YouTube channel.

6/2/2020

We are gradually filling the page about breeder aids. The page isn't finished yet, but we've added information about tweezers, a gripper, a feeder, and a red light, which will be useful for you as breeders.  

5/2/2020

We're gradually adding to our contributions and linking them together. For example, you can now find in the section Slipper a Lining Related videos from our channel YouTube Bees PLUS. 

We have updated the news from FB Čmeláci PLUS. In it, we are once again drawing attention to the fact that in the Czech Republic there is a for the sale of non-native species (or subspecies) of bumblebees intended for pollination services and not for release into the wild.The text of the article from FB Bumblebees PLUS can be found HERE. 

4/2/2020

We founded and started filling the page about breeder aids. Firstly, we added text about protective gear for bumblebee breeders and observers. Bumblebees have a sting, and if they feel threatened, they won't hesitate to use it. Some protective equipment will certainly come in handy – choose according to your budget and taste.

2/2/2020

Thank you for your input, which we have used to supplement the text and photographs. You will see, for example, what the Corrugated cardboard after use in a hive And why we don't recommend it. We have also added a funny solution from a breeder who uses as a stand Ground screw. A stable position for the ulcer on the stand can also be used concrete footing.

We have also opened a new page where you can find mmaterials that have proven themselves in cosmetic corrections or in the production of ulcers. These are adhesive tapes, seals, and more. 

We will update and supplement the tips you have verified.