I hope it's just the weather. The bees have been buzzing around my youpon holly so I know they're not all gone. And these are the normal honey bees because I can walk under it without being attacked.

I haven't seen any bees in days, but that may be because we've had unseasonably cold temps in our area. So cold, in fact, that we lost some of our barn swallows due to lack of insects. I think the bees were around earlier, we have tons of peaches on the peach tree. Unless something else pollinates peaches.

I want bees. I've seen them on my early blooming stuff off and on all season.PJ

I get a lot of bumble bees on my henry duelberg saliva but last year I did not have as many as the first year. I have seen one bee today while working out in the yard.
I sure hope that our bees area not getting to the point of extinction, if that happened we would have nothing to eat.
Those who were around in the 70's.....Do any of you remember a commercial showing a town in the back ground and one tree in the center with two people fighting over the few leaves that was left on the tree?
Could we be that close to being wiped out, I sure hope not?

So, are wasps pollinators? I had tons of those last year, and they're back hunting for nest sites now.

I don't have bees now & didn't have any at all last summer, blamed the chemical-happy neighbors, but now I have the same sinking feeling stitches mentions.

I love my bees.

This year I've had a yard full of dandelions and the bees were all over them. You couldn't pass a dandelion without a bee on it but after the snow and cold spell I haven't noticed any bees around.

Rap, we had them even throughout the winter on the rosemarys
I hope y'all get them back, it would be weird without bees in your garden
I have to say tho, sometimes there are too many here and it's kinda creepy if you are trying to do something, you disturb them and they start buzzing all around you, lol

Glad to read that you have some bees in your area Jolana. That one bee I mentioned earlier was all I saw today. I am hopeful that the up-and-down temperatures, along with that cold wind of yesterday, have induced almost all bees in our local hives to hunker down for an extra day. But, I am too alarmed to think so wishfully...

The only wasp I saw last week, I had to kill - another heartbreak, really. It was a queen - had started its nest in a long unused wheelbarrow that I'd propped against a fence. I was just lucky I wasn't stung. The poor thing was all sluggish and disoriented because it was one of those cold wet days. I figured there was no choice. If I didn't kill it, it would look for the wheelbarrow again, once it got its senses back, and then I would be its certain enemy. I saw what looked like a wasp today, buzzing around the cilantro. But it might have just been a fly. Anyway, I don't think wasps and flies and moths pollinate nearly as much as bees do. If I'm wrong, GREAT.

Like I suggested in another thread, if we get failures of land crops, maybe we can make some quick adjustments somehow to obtaining equivalent nutrition from the oceans. But again, that is probably only wishful thinking.

I did have some bees before it got cold. I think they just went back into hibernation in the chilly weather. Hopefully, warmer temps will bring them back out. Usually, I have more bees on my rosemary, but this year, even when it was warmer, there were not as many here. I will wait patiently for warmer weather and hopefully, more bees will return. I do know they (all pollinators) are crucial to our survival, so hopefully warmer weather will bring more bees.

I have some bees here, but not in the numbers from years before.... I blame people spraying for bugs - they kill the good bugs with the bad...

News reports this morning said it might be cell phones that's causing the disappearance. Cell signals disorient the bees so they can't find their hives. Wow, if that's true, this is going to be a hard one to solve.

Unfortunately, the number of people who care about the environment, is relatively small.

I have had a few bees, but I have never had lots of bees, anyway, so can't tell how big a difference just yet. Still a little too early to know.

Cell phones have become a real nuisance to me, personally. I am really tired of them, as most people never get off of them. No one needs to talk that much. Probably talking about nothing of importance, in the first place.

They may need to start caring if they want to eat. If this is an accurate report, I wonder what other forms of life could be affected. I'm wondering where the birds are myself. I've had a lot fewer of them so far this year too, especially house sparrows (not that I'm complaining about the lack of house sparrows). The feeders aren't needing to be filled as often as usual, but then, maybe there's a good bit of wild food right now.
I'm with you on the cell phone business, another good idea that is way out of control.

If you haven't already, you must read "The Forgotten Pollinators." I'm sorry, but I don't remember the authors' names. It goes into some of the same things you did in your post, Stitches. It starts out a bit technical, but gets very interesting when you get into the book.

Honey bees are not native to the U.S., and have actually caused some problems for our native bees, as they out compete the native bees for food. However, all bees are in big trouble right now, due to another outbreak of those awful mites, plus pollution, and dwindling habitat.

I can't say I've seen a lot of bees, but I have seen some on the various hollies that have been flowering. I do my best to plant for the bees as well as the hummers and moths and butterflies. And, I just do not use pesticides. At all. Bees are very susceptible to pesticides.

I don't think most wasps are pollinators. They are predators, and when they are flying around flowers, they are hunting other insects, not necessarily going for nectar or pollen.

Sally

We have had plenty of honey bees this year but! I have a friend that is a bee man. He recommends to everyone if they see a bee kill it. It seems that the Africianized bees will mix in with the normal honey bees and take them over through inter breeding. It is quite possibe that your neighbors are killing almost anything that flys. I do not have a solution but we may be headed towards a serious problem.

There was an article in last weeks paper about a man in the Texas valley who is barely alive after being stung 1,000 times by the africian bees that were living underground. Apparently, if they are living with the honey bees and you walk by a shrub they will attack in droves.

Alas, now we have two problems.

The guy that was bit was in his 90's!
Lots of bees here. Didn't see any on Saturday when it was cold and windy but Sunday when it warmed up they were out in droves.
Article in the paper today that cell phones are causing the deaths of bees.
Tally HO!

calverttx - I'm not sure I understand the logic of your bee friend. How is killing every bee I see going to help? Did I misunderstand something? I know that the Africanized interbreed with the domesticated, but don't see how killing bees is going to keep that from happening.

No,debndal you did not misunderstand and now you see the problem. When he speaks with people they get terrorfied and get out the spray.

Is there a drought somewhere in TX? I'm asking b/c when I lived in FL during the drought/fires of '98 (13 wks. w/o a drop of rain) our Extension Agent recommended leaving the spigot on a slow drip so that the bees could get water. I'm sure that's not connected to the Collapsing Bee Colonies post on this board, but it's still something people should be aware of. Bees need water.

I'm not sure I understand, calverttx. Are you saying that this man was being alarmist, and scaring people? I find his suggestion ridiculous, and it's hard to believe he's truely a "bee man."

Drewsmaga, yes, we have been in an extreme drought here in Texas, but I think the bee problem is bigger than Texas. You make a good point, though, that drought leads to fewer flowers, and fewer flowers lead to fewer bees.

Oh, I did see quite a few honey bees on my May Night Salvia yesterday. There were probably a couple dozen.

Sally

Thankfully I'm seeing a few honey bees around my place. There was a time maybe about 6 or 7 years ago at the height of the mite problem, I think, when there were hardly any. I could be out in the garden all day when the fruit trees, etc. were blooming and not see a one. Then their numbers slowly recovered in my yard.

This may have been because beekeepers learned to treat their hives for the mites, or the bees that now appear here may be wild African bees. I read about that time that if we did see a bee it would likely be an Africanized bee since the hives of domestic bees were so weakened from the mites.

The bees around my place may very well be African as I live on the edge of some woods where hives would go undetected. The biggest problem comes when they build a hive in close proximity to our homes. They are very aggressive in defending their hives, as we all know, and of course hikers in the woods might be attacked if they came close to a hive of African bees. We are advised to listen for the loud drone of a hive in the woods and around our homes. I am outside in every part of my yard often and hopefully would notice a swarm.

I think it bears repeating that the Africanized bee as well as any bee, native or Italian, or wasp for that matter, does not attack except to defend the hive. Sometimes we are stung by wasps when we are not aware of having come near the nest. Of course any bee, or wasps will sting if you swat them. Sometimes they will light on your body if is damp from swimming or sweat. They are looking for water and are not out to sting you. Just flick them off. Anyway, the Africanized bee will not attack when gathering nector and pollen. They have their minds on their work and pay no attention except to get out of your way if they even notice you.

Bee keepers say they may have to get used to working with African bees as they have so infiltrated the Italian bee population. Italian bees are imported honey bees. But to do so they must wear a full body suit where with a few puffs of smoke the docile Italian bees can be worked with without any protection at all. They are doing research on how to breed out the agressive tendencies of African bees.

I guess my point is to be appreciative of all bees and not fear even the African bee, while maintaining a healthy respect for them; and pray that a solution to the problem of disappearing bees will be found.

Incidentally, I found that if a paper wasp is building a nest near tools, etc. if I flick off the nest (and run like heck) and then come back and put a little oil on the spot they will not build there again. I notice the nests and reach around them, but often my husband doesn't and gets stung.

Also it's easy to get rid of a large nest without killing the wasps if you spray it with water after dark and then knock it down. The wasps will not sting in the dark. You could even move the nest tacking it up within 10 feet or so of its original location and they will find it. I've done that as the wasps are valuable in keeping the caterpillars in check. Paper wasps are so non-agreesive I have had huge nest right over where we walk everyday and they never bother us.

I try to protect the wasps, also, as grasshoppers are a large part of their diet.

Bit off topic, but I am so looking forward to the cicada killer babies emerging this year from the 6 or eight mounds I watched last year. In case you don't know what they are, the are HUGE and look like the most scary wasps you'll ever see. Yet they so docile.. I was actually privilaged enough to see one glide from my roof with a cicada (as large or larger) than the cicada killer and onto the mound and drag it into the hole. They paralize the cicada, then the lava feed on it before emerging in the spring.
Sorry about getting off topic.. Just all the talk about wasps, reminded me that I should check out the cicada killer mounds. I have no idea when they are supposed to emerge.
On topic,
I've still only seen one honey bee this year. That is scary.

haven't seen any bees at all yet. just a few wasps.. but we had a sudden cold spell so i think it will be a while before we see any. then again i don't have any flowers yet (they were about to bloom but the cold snap confused them).
and yes texas was in a worse-than-usual drought last year (it was unbearable)-- but miraculously we have actually had some rain this spring. water levels still aren't up to normal, but at least it's helped things a lot.

just for the record i'm one of those people who cares greatly about the only environment we have... but like many, i struggle daily with that endless conflict that just existing as a human being has a negative imapact. my main solution is to try to simplify my life as much as possible- mainly by not being a huge consumer of junk and NOT driving- as much as humanly possible!
AND i agree wholeheartedly about cell phones. we have survived and evolved for 200,000 years without them, and now all of a sudden we can't go 5 minutes without yakking on the cell?? yes of course they are handy and sometimes they are a lifesaver... but we have become a nation of 24-hour a day yakkers.. totally addicted. i really am beginning to detest them.. the way it makes people so rude and we all seem so disconnected to those around us now. i also am tired of having to WAIT until someone is done yakking to be able to talk to them in person! i say, LESS TALKING and more thinking, more doing, more reflecting, more listening, more exploring, more reading, more creating.. (and of course, more gardening!)

anyway... to hear this may be causing the disaparane of honeybees.. wow, how sad. so this is just another reason to do my part and talk as little as possible on the dang things.

Thanks for mentioning the cicada killers beeanne. The first time I saw one zipping around the garden I couldn't believe my eyes that such a big wasp existed! I followed it and saw it go down a narrow hole. But they are harmless -- except to cicadas.

Rembetika, I agree about cell phones. I hadn't read the article implicating them in the disappearance of the bees. Here is an article I just now saw on the butterfly forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cell phones confusing bees

Cell phones interfering with bees? It sounds like one of those email/urban legand hoaxes to me, but who knows?

Sally

Naturally they are discussing the cell phone connection to the collapse of bee colonies on the Bee Forum. It reminds me of how the sonar used by submarines is thought to be disrupting the ability of whales and dolphins to navigate.

They bring up some interesting points on the Bee Forum. Mainly that it is likely to be a combination of factors that brought about a tipping point where bees can no longer cope with the myriad of problems.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cell phone discussion on Bee Forum

Roselee, I think you and I maybe saw the same documentary on TV, "Taming the Swarm." It was a very informative show about the Africanized bees and efforts to co-exist with them.

I just saw for the first time yesterday an article on the cell phone theory. Some Germans did a study. You know "them thar Germans" - generally good at their science. I'm excited at the possibility that maybe their hypothesis is testable - studying areas where bees live but cell phone coverage is scant, and comparing to how bees fare in areas where signal strengths are consistently high and overall energy fields are intense.

Got to get along now to bee-watching and gardening!

I had a cicada killer wasp in my front yard last year, living in a hole in the ground. I found her dead a few months later :( and I think it may have been due to quarterly pest control spraying we had done to tame the fire ant invasion into our house. I haven't had them (pest control) come out since last fall, and I really don't want to this year. Anyway, back to the cicada killer, I hope her babies survived. I have a 12x zoom lens now so I would love to catch them on camera. :D Very, VERY cool insects. And loud, too! (in a buzzy way. But not nearly as loud as those dad gum cicadas! They were SOOOOO annoying last summer.)

This possibility with the cell phones also makes me wonder about satellite TV and satellite radio, NORSTAR in cars - the possibilities could be endless. Couldn't they also be contributing to the problem? (Think what it could be doing to us humans). Maybe one of these days, we'll all go to work and forget how to get home! A joke, but I'm not sure it's too funny, considering.......

We've had quite a few honey bees buzzing around my caerulea passion flowers this spring--last year I had a few bumblebees, but that was all. While their numbers were heartening, I saw two things in recent days that gave me concern, and both happened around dusk. The first, early last week, was a bee crawling around on one of the passion flowers. I'd been covered with pollen, so I knew it'd been there for a while. But it was just moving around, not really feeding, and unwilling to fly off. I watched it for a while, expecting it to leave any moment since the sun was down, but it never did even as it was getting dark. I checked the next morning, but of course the bee was gone.

Then on Monday I took my daughter to church for a function. At about the same time of day as the previous incident, I noticed a bee *walking* along the sidewalk. Not flying, walking. It went one direction for a while, then turned and went over the edge into the parking lot. Then it meandered a while, not going any particular direction. I eventually had to go inside.

I don't know if these two bees were sick, injured, disoriented or what, but something was amiss with them. No idea if it's related to the disappearing hives, tho.

I haven't been around for a few days so I just now read this thread. I'll say that I haven't seen a lot of bees yet here in east Texas but have seen a few. It's been unseasonably cool this Spring and I hope that's what is holding them back. I look forward to more of them!

And we probably won't know for a few years ... So what can we do in the meantime?

Simply be as truthful, helpful and kind to the environment as we can respecting the innate divinity in all life. Life will persist in some form. It always has.

I just did a 5-minute check outdoors a few minutes ago.

On our 8x8 ligustrum which is full of open flowers now, I saw at most 4 honeybees, 2 bumblebees, and 1 wasp. Strangest of all (again) was NOTHING on the cilantro flowers. I am sure that in past years, I have seen very intense activity around those.

On our Savannah (or is East Palatka?) holly, what I saw was a little more encouraging. The flowers were not fully open on it yet, but the hum was there. Not like the peak hum I recall from years past. Still, hearing and then seeing maybe a half-dozen or more bees was heartening.

We'll know better how real the situation and its impact are, if (when) we get enough sticker shock at the grocery.

Now that the temps are warming up, I am seeing more bees on my flowers. There were several on my May Night salvia today all busy gathering nectar. Hopefully, they'll bounce back from all this.

This morning, the buzz in our big blooming holly tree was as loud as it ever was in past years!

It isn't even noon yet, and already I have heard something that's made my day!

[fingers crossed, toes crossed, lips tucked, eyes crunched shut, PRAYING...]