No bees

I'm really getting worried. We have no bees in the gardens. Wasps and carpenter bees is all we are seeing. Also very few butterflies and birds compared to other years. I'm thinking - the new sub-division behind my house has a yard service company that maintains the yards and I'm hoping they have not sprayed.

 

This is worrying news, Donna. Is there any way to check that?

Yopu know, you may not want to keep a hive of honeybees, but you can buy or rent a colony of bumble bees and place their little "house" in a good, out-of-the-way place in your garden and at least you would have those.

 

Same here, Donna. I have not seen but a few honeybees on all of the dandelions in our yard. :'(

 

I haven't seen many bees yet either this year. And I normally see a lot when I'm out on walks because everyone has some kind of flower in front of their home

 

My 5 minute bee a count yielded 3 bumblebees, 4 honey bees and 1 solitary bee. The problem with an instant window of bee activity is there is no locally established baseline to indicate if we are looking at an acute problem. There are several phenology bee studies but I just glanced with a google search. Phenology may sound familiar for those in the flower study. If anyone happens across a good study I would be interested. A few days ago I did happen across a study of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) that identified a type of insecticide and a link to CCD with reproducible results. Encouraging news on the investigative front.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 110713.htm

Jerry

 

It is already June here and I have some bees and I have only seen 2 white sulphur butterflys....I think the summers will be changing without as many bees as we usually have...someone a street away raises bees, and sells honey.

 

I've been blessed with lots of bumble bees and honey bees. They start early on the heather, then high bush blueberries. They are finishing the raspberries. Fortunately our neighborhood is pretty herbicide/insecticide free. There are also several households that have hives.

Since the city changed the pet codes to include small livestock in the center of town more people have become more environmentally conscious.

 

We have Bumblebess, but I haven't seen a single honey bee this year

 

OMG..same here Donna. Usually by this time of the year I would notice many bees and butterflies in the garden but this year so far I have spotted 3 cabbage moth butterflies only! Pretty but who wants them? My peas and beans are loaded with flowers but no bees! I harvested 3 squashes and all of them were hand pollinated. water melon, and Asian melon wines have started flowering too; I am kind of worried! What should I do for peas? Do you think we should blame the last unusually cold winter for less bees and butterflies in our region?

 

I haven't seen hardly any here yet either. The whole bee problem is very troubling.

 

Disclaimer--we keep bees, so I am highly prejudiced! If municipalities would relax their "no hives" laws and let backyard bee keepers have two hives, and if open municipal land could be used by bee clubs, the bee situation would undoubtedly improve.
If lawn care companies had to certify their use of pesticides was done only when bees are not flying (early morning, late evening, overcast days) there would be more bees and other pollinators.
If businesses and corporate offices would wean their groundskeepers from the little green meatball shrubs and plant flowers instead, the bees would have more nectar and pollen.
On a happier note, our bees are fat and happy, and we'll be harvesting honey within the next month.

 

I'm seeing a few bee's now and then , but not enough. I'm still shaking my plants every day. Seeing a few green tomatoes and a few peppers, but not like last year. Lots of blooms.

 

I just found out that peas, beans except runner beans and pepper plants are self pollinated..what a relief...

 

We still do not have that many bees or butterflys and believe me, I have plenty of flowers to attract them right now. I hope it picks up soon