| Bee watch. 08:37 - May 16 with 978 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
Has anyone else noticed an almost complete lack of bees this Spring? |  |
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| Bee watch. on 08:40 - May 16 with 946 views | Mullet |
Now you mention it yeah. I've tried to plant as many "bee friendly" things as I can in front and back of the house but I haven't really thought about it. Usually we get a few varieties here.
Is it too cold? They've been out earlier every year for a while due to temperatures rising. Maybe this year is trending down? |  |
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| Bee watch. on 08:42 - May 16 with 934 views | WeWereZombies |
Had quite a few buzzing around my garden on the Isle of Skye, but then I am surrounded by crofts and not arable farming. Not that arable farming has to be chemically enhanced as places like the Knepp Estate have proven. |  |
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| Bee watch. on 09:04 - May 16 with 901 views | DJR |
Can't say I have but we've had a few large wasps in the house in the last month or so, maybe on the lookout for somewhere to build a nest. Wasps are also pollinators.
We had a nest in our wooden eves last year, and get them from time to time. Nippon (the ant killer) also works on wasps' nests. But as the one last year was difficult to reach, I let it go for much of the summer. [Post edited 16 May 9:07]
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| Bee watch. on 09:16 - May 16 with 855 views | Ftnfwest |
We had some when it was warm but it’s been a bit cold the last month or so. Haven’t they got a threshold? |  | | |
| Bee watch. on 09:27 - May 16 with 816 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| Bee watch. on 09:16 - May 16 by Ftnfwest |
We had some when it was warm but it’s been a bit cold the last month or so. Haven’t they got a threshold? |
Friends of ours that keep bees suffered massive colony loss this Winter and a quick search found this......
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art
Also listened to this driving home last night suggesting a global issue but around neocotinoids which Bayer and Syngenta are still allowed to sell around the World despite them interfering with bee navigation....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programm
On top of this, seed germination rates have been appalling this year. | |
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| Bee watch. on 10:03 - May 16 with 705 views | Meadowlark |
Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS). There were loads of insects around when I was a kid. I also remember having to stop and clear my visor of dead insects when riding my motorbike in the 70s, and when you turned on an outside light at night there would be a cloud of moths and other bugs around it. We're doomed!
Don’t think bees in my garden are fewer than last year though, and bumble bees were spotted throughout the winter. (Meaning they were seen, not that they had spots!) |  | | |
| Bee watch. on 10:11 - May 16 with 696 views | FBI |
They're around in my south-facing rural North Devon valley surrounded by woodland (I know, life is hell) but I've noticed it's predominantly Bumblebees (although there are 24 species of Bumble alone, fact fans) rather than honey types or, worryingly, hoverflies.
I came across a small Bumble colony in my garden a couple of weeks ago, like a ball of dried grass about 8" across. Re-covered it and let it alone and they're still active. |  |
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| Bee watch. on 10:20 - May 16 with 663 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Bee watch. on 09:27 - May 16 by BanksterDebtSlave |
Friends of ours that keep bees suffered massive colony loss this Winter and a quick search found this......
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art
Also listened to this driving home last night suggesting a global issue but around neocotinoids which Bayer and Syngenta are still allowed to sell around the World despite them interfering with bee navigation....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programm
On top of this, seed germination rates have been appalling this year. |
Hands up who had ‘bee navigation’ on their daily TWTD bingo card. No? Me neither.
Great stuff, well not so great for the bees. I’ve seen just one and it was very dozy, but it’s been chilly. There are very few flying anythings round so far. |  |
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| Bee watch. on 10:22 - May 16 with 659 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| Bee watch. on 10:11 - May 16 by FBI |
They're around in my south-facing rural North Devon valley surrounded by woodland (I know, life is hell) but I've noticed it's predominantly Bumblebees (although there are 24 species of Bumble alone, fact fans) rather than honey types or, worryingly, hoverflies.
I came across a small Bumble colony in my garden a couple of weeks ago, like a ball of dried grass about 8" across. Re-covered it and let it alone and they're still active. |
Sounds like hell!
Have seen a few bumbles, it's the honey ones that are noticeable by their absence. | |
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| Bee watch. on 10:24 - May 16 with 651 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
I should add that what has me particularly concerned is not seeing any honey bees in Greece either! | |
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| Bee watch. on 10:28 - May 16 with 633 views | Benters |
No. |  |
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| Bee watch. on 10:28 - May 16 with 637 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| Bee watch. on 10:20 - May 16 by Swansea_Blue |
Hands up who had ‘bee navigation’ on their daily TWTD bingo card. No? Me neither.
Great stuff, well not so great for the bees. I’ve seen just one and it was very dozy, but it’s been chilly. There are very few flying anythings round so far. |
Bingo you say...Ashton out! | |
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| Bee watch. on 10:30 - May 16 with 634 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| Bee watch. on 10:28 - May 16 by Benters |
No. |
Maybe they gather near water butt collections. | |
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| Bee watch. on 11:52 - May 16 with 513 views | stonojnr |
Ive seen a few about, but I think its still too cold for them, any bee waking up now, isnt going to survive long when its still hitting 4-6C overnight. |  | | |
| Bee watch. on 13:10 - May 16 with 410 views | DJR |
Here's an interesting article on the emergence of bees.
https://beekeepercorner.com/uk
It contains this passage.
"In southern England, where temperatures tend to be milder, bees often start emerging as early as mid-February. This is because areas like the south coast benefit from warmer winters and longer summers, allowing bees to emerge earlier than in colder regions. However, it’s not uncommon for bees to remain dormant until late March or even April in some parts of southern England."
I wouldn't have said the spring has been particularly cold, so this does suggest a very late emergence of bees, particularly given the abundance of trees and bushes etc in bloom. | | | |
| Bee watch. on 15:24 - May 16 with 319 views | mellowblue |
| Bee watch. on 10:22 - May 16 by BanksterDebtSlave |
Sounds like hell!
Have seen a few bumbles, it's the honey ones that are noticeable by their absence. |
Agree same here up in North Suffolk. A few bumbles, no honey bees or wasps yet. Must be weather-related. | | | |
| Bee watch. on 16:59 - May 16 with 271 views | ronnyd |
Got chased by one yesterday. Big old bumble bee it was. | | | |
| Bee watch. on 18:06 - May 16 with 221 views | Hugoagogo_Reborn |
| Bee watch. on 09:04 - May 16 by DJR |
Can't say I have but we've had a few large wasps in the house in the last month or so, maybe on the lookout for somewhere to build a nest. Wasps are also pollinators.
We had a nest in our wooden eves last year, and get them from time to time. Nippon (the ant killer) also works on wasps' nests. But as the one last year was difficult to reach, I let it go for much of the summer. [Post edited 16 May 9:07]
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Hoverflies, flies and moths are also considered prolific pollinators.
I have certainly noticed less bees and wasps, but definitely more hoverflies this spring and I refuse to kill any insects, but especially not pollinators! They all get ushered out of the house by my braver husband! |  |
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| Bee watch. on 19:48 - May 16 with 159 views | andytown |
| Bee watch. on 18:06 - May 16 by Hugoagogo_Reborn |
Hoverflies, flies and moths are also considered prolific pollinators.
I have certainly noticed less bees and wasps, but definitely more hoverflies this spring and I refuse to kill any insects, but especially not pollinators! They all get ushered out of the house by my braver husband! |
Saw a swarm of bees in a tree in Bishop’s Stortford last week. | | | |
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