Topic: Bees not many around

[Digeroo]

There do not seem to be many bees around this year.  Have other people noticed a shortage? 

Our apple trees usually buzz with them, but there have only been a few, I am worried that there have not been enough to pollenate the fruit.

[Flighty]

I've seen plenty of bumble and honey bees. Not surprising about the latter as a plot neighbour has several hives on his plot!

[pippy]

We seem to have plenty.  Must go and ask my local honey man how his bees are doing (and get some honey too  :D). 

Every time I see him he tells me all about a local project to re-breed the native British black bee.  When I ask worriedly if his bees are declining or showing signs of colony collapse he shakes his head and says they are thriving and he puts it all down to the trend for using bees imported from Italy which don't have the resistance to our harsher climate.  No idea if he's right or not but I always enjoy talking to him and his honey is great!

[Robert_Brenchley]

No need to re-breed the native bee; it's alive and flourishing in my hives, and a lot of other peoples'!

[SPUDLY]

In April, when the weather was quite warm, there were a few bumble bees and solitary bees around, even the odd cabbage white. Think they must have gone back indoors now. :D

[Toadspawn]

Robert
Is it a pure native black British bee? Do you find that it is relatively easy to handle, does not sting very much, does not swarm, does not build up very quickly and yet produces a reasonable crop of honey in a good season. Is it pure or has it crossed with the hybrids which abound in the UK due to imported queens. Do you ever have spare queens for requeening?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Robert
Is it a pure native black British bee? Do you find that it is relatively easy to handle, does not sting very much, does not swarm, does not build up very quickly and yet produces a reasonable crop of honey in a good season. Is it pure or has it crossed with the hybrids which abound in the UK due to imported queens. Do you ever have spare queens for requeening?

I don't think there's any such thing as a 'pure' native bee any more; they're all hybridised to some extent. Mine originally came from west Cornwall, where there have been limited imports, and fit the parameters for Apis mellifera mellifera nicely, so they're probably as close to 'pure' as you'll get. It has all the characteristics you mention, though I do find it a little too slow building up in spring. There were once strains that built up fast for the early flow, and some decidedly swarmy strains, but it's only the heather bees from the north and west which survive now. It may be possible to improve them by breeding.

I don't see myself having spare queens this year, after two dire summers for mating. I wouldn't rule it out for the future though.

[angle shades]

there are no bees around here either :(

my garden is full of hardy geraniums in flower,forget me nots, solomans seal, bleeding heart etc, and the silence is deafening and that's not normal,

only the odd one or two at lottie/ shades x

[manicscousers]

been ok here, all the fruit trees were buzzing  :)

[BarriedaleNick]

Loads of Bees here in Sarf London but we do have hives in the woods next to the site.  Lots of bumbles as well though...

[saddad]

my garden is full of hardy geraniums in flower,forget me nots, solomans seal, bleeding heart etc, and the silence is deafening and that's not normal,

Maybe the book was a bit early...  :-X

Not too bad here, but then we have hives on the site...

[thifasmom]

at the beginning of spring i found there were many bumble bees and quite a few honey bees as well but i have noticed recently (the last four weeks or so) even though the weather has been more favourable and there are more flowers there seems to be a reduction in both set of bees ???

[genlistlass]

Only seen two this year so far. Bumbles.

Worried I won't get any apples as the wind yesterday tried hard to blow all my blossom off.  Trees were covered in it before the wind........

Seems you lot doon Southhave all me bees??? Anyone in Scotland/Borders seen any?

Gen in Northumberland

[taurus]

No shortage of bee's here.  They love the blue comfrey in the front garden.  Daren't plant it round the lottie its to vigorous.  But plenty of bees at the lottie as well. No bee hives on site so don't no where there flying in from, but glad they are.

[tonybloke]

there are no bees around here either :(
my garden is full of hardy geraniums in flower,forget me nots, solomans seal, bleeding heart etc, and the silence is deafening and that's not normal,
only the odd one or two at lottie/ shades x

that ain't exactly a list of bee attractant flowers. the bees are probably on fruit trees or on the OSR in your area.?

[Eristic]

I've not seen a single hive bee on my plot for two years now but the place is swarming with bumble bees and this year there are definitely lots more solitary bees.

Stop trying to grow plants for bees or other wildlife. Grow food to eat and flowers to give yourself pleasure. Lay off the sprays, then all wildlife will quickly find a balance.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I think that's the main thing, stay off the sprays. Then once you've done that, start looking at providing the right habitat for them.

[Digeroo]

Oh no I am down south and there are not many bees at all.  Do not use any sprays lived in same house nearly 25 years, no spraying at all.  No weedkiller, no pesticides.  Have small flower meadow.  (very  small) and several quite wild bits, (A couple of metres across.)

The blossom fell off my apple trees about 10 days ago when we had some rain.  Only decent rain for more than six weeks, rest a few showers.   And when I say few I mean very few.  Holding my breath at the moment, to see if the fruit has set ok.  Counted about three honey bees and four bumbles, hope they were busy. 

Have black bees at allotment, never seen them before, now arrived also in garden. 

Bit worried that the bees will not find the allotments since they are all new.

[pippy]

Went to see my local honey man earlier today.  His bees are fine.  He keeps 18 hives at the moment (he is in his 70's!) and has local farmers begging him to put hives on their land as it increases their crop yields by 17 percent.

There is a lot of oil seed rape in flower at the moment so the bees are busy - it flowers for about 2 weeks and this year it has coincided with a sunny spell so the bees have harvested a lot of pollen from it - a bit of a mixed blessing as it doesn't make for the best honey and he tries to keep it to separate batches.

Apparently there are now only 89 beekeepers in Notts due to the expense of keeping hives, treating Varoa outbreakes etc.  He is determined to keep his hives running.   :)

[Digeroo]

I would like to keep bees on my allotment but cannot cope with the thought of getting  stung.  Bit of a wuss me.  Also set up quite expensive.