No bees.
There has been a startling lack of bees this year. Outside this evening, I spotted only three honey bees on a huge expanse of white clover. None anywhere else. A few carpenter bees and one bumble. And it's a lovely evening, still early enough that they should be out in full force. I've noticed this over the course of the summer. This just reinforces my choice to get bees next year.
I wonder if this is why I still don't have any cucumbers even though they are blooming like mad.
I am not seeing any bees either. I am hand pollinating my pumpkins to ensure that we actually get a few since there are no bees to do it for me.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness I'm not the only one! I've barely had any squash/zucchini/cucumbers and notice a real lack of bees - honestly kind of scary coupled with my notice of the lack of real quality produce in the middle of the summer in many stores!
ReplyDeleteI'm not to the point of getting bees next year, but I'll be planning on planting a lot more pollenator attract flowers
That's terrible! We have lots, I wish I could share them with you! It seems many are noticing the same thing this year, I shudder to think 10 years from now what will happen...
ReplyDeleteYou know, we are seeing plenty of bees but I'm guessing it might be because we have a beekeeper a couple miles away. I have no idea how far they travel. I'd be more concerned that you also aren't seeing any bumblebees or other pollinators. Have you considered starting a colony of mason bees?
ReplyDeleteDo you know of anyone nearby you that keeps bees? The bees will regularly travel up to one or two miles if they need to to find blossoms to work. If you do know of hives within that radius, it is very strange that you're not seeing more of them.
ReplyDeleteWe're having the same thing here. Lots of squash flowers (esp) and little fruit.
ReplyDeleteA lot of wasps and mason bees, but almost no honeybees.
We do have hives sitting in the garage and are going to get them up and going in the spring most definitely...(especially since I am now officially out of the last of our sourwood honey from North Carolina, which is the last time we had hives up...6 years ago.
Its scary to think that pollinators are declining! I look forward to seeing you get your bees next year! We've thought about bees but I suspect it will be at least several years before we get to that stage. I guess you'll have to do some hand pollinating this year!
ReplyDeleteWisegoat acres- I'm thinking about hand pollinating a few cucumbers and summer squash.
ReplyDeleteMolly- It is pretty scary! Last year we had way more than this. I wonder if the blizzard last winter did a number on some of my local hives.
Erin- I wish you could send me a few! It is frightening to think 10 years down the road if things don't change soon.
Melody- I've thought about mason bees. I have been wondering if it's too late in the season to put up a house for them. Anybody know??
Mama Pea- I know I've seen hives about 2 miles away. I think one closer neighbor may have one but I can't see through the trees well enough to see if it's really a hive. Unfortunately for the ones 2 miles down the road, there are 2 miles of (I'm pretty sure) GMO corn in between us.
ReplyDeleteAkannie- Oh, I'm sorry to hear you've got the same thing there as well. I can't wait to see you get bees, too!!
Farming mama- I'm thinking that I'm going to be on my belly tonight or tomorrow morning to pollinate a few squash and cucumbers. Woo hoo. What a fun way to spend a Friday night- plant sex!! ;)
We're lucky here - some forward thinker on this acreage planted bushes that bloom in succession, perfect for hummingbirds...and bees. We have tons of both, for which I am grateful...
ReplyDeletejj- thanks for stopping in. We've got lots of succession planting. We've even got over an acre of un-mowed wildflowers in the meadow. You would think we would have more bees. There were more last year. I don't know what happened this year. But hopefully we'll have our own hive next year.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Well, we have two beehives and alot of our crops are slow to produce this year. I think its the hot/cold/hot pattern this year. My neighbors who should technically be benefiting from our hives are also reporting slow growth. I do see my bees and other pollinators though.
ReplyDeleteI encourage even those who don't want honey to try to set up homes for other pollinators on their property. Lots of information on how to do it online.
We have a lot here though they are mostly the Africanized variety so you may not want any of those! It is sad though that you are seeing so few. What are we doing to this beautiful world of ours? :(
ReplyDelete