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Upstate New York

Lack of honey bees & other pollinators this year?

17 years ago

I am curious to know whether other upstate gardeners have noticed fewer honey bees and other pollinators (yellow jackets, etc.) this summer. In past years, when my linden tree blossomed, it was covered in bees--this year, it buzzed almost entirely with flies, including the type of flies that mimic bees.

Perhaps my area once had a beekeeper who has since gone out of business, or perhaps something more nefarious is going on. I wonder if all the rain had an effect on these populations. I know wild honey bee populations are in deep trouble; but that's been true for years and in past years I have seen plenty of honey bees.

I have literally seen not ONE honey bee all summer long! I feel something is missing in my garden, and it makes me sad.

I am in Delaware Co., near the Otsego border, for what it's worth.

I am curious about other people's observations and hunches.

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Comments (6)

husky004_
17 years ago
Bloomville, I have lots this year, honey bees, yellow jackets, wasps you name it. But i do remember a few years back hearing about a virus that almost wiped out the bees in our area, perhaps that's what's happening in your county. If I could I'd ship the pesky yellow jackets to you!
hammerl
17 years ago
No shortage out here in Erie County, outside of Buffalo. I've got all sorts of bees and yellowjackets. I do wish that virus would wipe out all the yellowjackets that seem to hang out at our area beaches in August, though!
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Honey bees will cover every single flower on holly, making it seem alive with the hard working insects. You can hear them before you see them. YJs aren't so noisy. You should be able to easily tell a honey bee from a yellow jacket by the lack of very bright yellow and black on the bee body and that fact that bees are fuzzier. Both of these insects and many more are nectar and pollen feeders and will be found on holly, which is very attractive to all manner of pollinators, but only honeybees gather and collect nectar and pollen in order to bring back to their hives, for storage and the feeding of larvae. The relationship between bees and hollies is legendary. I would certainly hope that they are allowed to continue their work unmolested. No need to be afraid. Yes, they mind their own business, lol!
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prairiemoon2 z6b MA
17 years ago
Hi,

I was just thinking this morning that I have hardly seen a honey bee all season. Last year, I had a ton of them, but toward the fall, they all started dying. I was hoping they would still come back this year, but evidently not. It is a very unusual year for me. I am in Massachusetts.
tracywag
17 years ago
I have what seems to be a slightly larger population than usual this year. I hope this is just a fluke and you get back to normal soon. You ever consider starting a hive? I wish I had just a little more land...
crankyoldman
17 years ago
I noticed a dearth of honeybees this year too. I have had lots and lots of bumblebees and sweat bees, but I hardly saw a honeybee until a couple weeks ago. In previous years, I had bees all over the place. There is clover in my yard, and there is multiflora rose growing in the ravine behind my house, and when it was in bloom, you could hear massive buzzing. This year, I heard nothing at all from there when they were blooming. It was eerie.
mountainsong
17 years ago
I can't exactly comment on this year vs. last, as this is our first summer in our "new" (97-year-old) house since we returned from GA. However... we seem to have a swarm (if that's the right term) of honeybees that have taken up residence under the soffits (sic?) at the corner of our house. I don't want to have them exterminated, but DH has an allergy to stings, and this corner is located right by our primary entrance to the house. Does anyone have ideas about what to do?? I'm thinking of Googling for beekeepers in our area, or could try the Regional Market honey guy... need to do something ASAP, as we have another swarm--of guests--descending on our house in a week's time.

Mountainsong, in Jordan (central NY)

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