More bees this spring?

[attml]

Has anyone else seen more bee activity this spring? After several years with what seemed like very little bee activity in the Annapolis, Maryland area I have seen a very high quantity this year in my yard and on my plants. Wondering if anyone else is seeing this nearby or in other areas? I know it isn't hurting my productivity because I have a lot of little tomatoes already underway this year.

Mark

[tam91]

Seemed like there were quite a few in my greenhouse this year.

[framer]

Between cold snaps I had a good number of honey bees & bumble bees visiting brocoli that I let go to seed. This was the first time that I had the amount of bees in the garden. I have had some on the herbs that flowered but very few when the flowers went to seed. Suddenly they are all gone. Yesterday I was checking the cucubers on the fence & I watched a large pollen laden bumblebee working the cucumber flowers. Suddenly a green lizard about 5 or 6 inches long decided the bee would be a good meal & gone is the bumble bee & lizards are now on my list of least wanted creatures in the garden. I would very much like to have a large number of honey bees but sometimes nature doesn't accomidate our desires. Oh well.
Charles
Bastro, LA

[Lcottomsvcs]

I agree that we have seen more activity this year. I am a beekeeper, lost about half our hives over the winter ( I think last year's drought may be to blame, they were weak going into winter). However, our remaining hives are going strong and I am seeing lots of activity on the lawn, in the flowerbeds, fencerows, etc.

I believe that the wet weather has actually been positive for the bees,because it has slowed down the mowers, and allowed more plants to flower and be fed upon. In my neighborhood, it has been very difficult to get the mowing done due to rains. So the bees have the advantage.

I keep trying to convince my husband to put some of our one acre lawn into a bee/butterfly garden area, but no luck so far. So I plant lots of nectar flowers where-ever I can.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Lcottomsvcs

I keep trying to convince my husband to put some of our one acre lawn into a bee/butterfly garden area, but no luck so far. So I plant lots of nectar flowers where-ever I can.

Maybe approach it slightly differently? Ask for a herb garden?

[RebelRidin]

Originally Posted by attml

Has anyone else seen more bee activity this spring? After several years with what seemed like very little bee activity in the Annapolis, Maryland area I have seen a very high quantity this year in my yard and on my plants. Wondering if anyone else is seeing this nearby or in other areas? I know it isn't hurting my productivity because I have a lot of little tomatoes already underway this year.

Mark

Have not seen that down here on the eastern shore....

[Deborah]

I have lots of bees including one who seems determined to be close friends. Sheesh.

[tlintx]

Could be worse, we have dozens of wasps!

I saw a bee, but not a roly-poly one, the other day. The roly-poly ones are out later in the summer and much bigger.


Tl

[indigosand]

Send some here please! All my flowers that I planted in order to entice the bees in have taken a leisurely start.

[Dak]

I started planting native plants a few years ago, seems like I've always had bees here. What I haven't really seen this year are bumblebees. Just one really large black one buzzing around.

[Stvrob]

I have seen much fewer bees this year. In fact, Im not sure thaqt Ive seen a single bumblebee! I'm worried about the melons. I even planted red clover last fall so there would be plenty of forage.

[PA_Julia]

I have seen notably more bumble bee's this year than in years past.

Yesterday I had three in buzzing around the garden besides a few other bee's.

It's good to see.

[riceke]

Last few years the only bees I saw in my clover infested lawn were bumble bees (yellow & black). But this year already I saw the ol honeybees have returned. I understand that there was a disease that affected them, not to mention heavy pesticide use.

[RebelRidin]

If anyone has any extra bees around I could use some. I have zukes and squash that need pollinating and no one is doing the job. Pain of it is we have a good number of honey bees about. They are intent on working the clover next to the squash but not the squash itself. And bumble bees, who usually do the job for me, are so far notably absent in the gardens and the yard.

[Irv Wiseguy]

I was so happy to see bees all over my zucchini and tomato flowers Sunday morning. I usually check the plants in the afternoon and don't normally see any bees at that time of day.

Irv