Toadstools.

Having been reading up on bee diseases I went to put a sample tray in the one colony at The Lost Garden that will take one so that I could monitor the mite levels before treating them. I had previously noted that bees from those two colonies had been behaving strangely; behaviour suggesting chronic paralysis virus (erratic trembling and running on the ground). A comparison of the before and after mite levels should give a good idea of the effectiveness of the treatment.

When I came home, I found a bee on the ground with K-wing virus (see extra) with a wasp trying to predate it, the wasp was quickly despatched but its behaviour suggests that its colony is still raising brood. As with bees, wasps need protein to raise brood, carbohydrate for energy.

Most of the bee viruses can also affect bumble bees, see the extra in my post for the second of August. The pine trees behind the hives are now supporting a motley collection of fungi such as those shown in the blip, I will post the variety once I have done the research.