My Bees Are Nuts!!!

[Diggin It]

Well, not MY bees since I don't have hives, but whatever bees are in the area and wherever they come from.

They're spending all their time on the ornamentals like Redbuds and ignoring the stuff I need them to work, like fruit trees and shrubs. C'mon guys, get your buzz on the things that matter!!!

 

[RNeumann]

A watched tree never buds....or pollinates

 

[fried1765]

Well, not MY bees since I don't have hives, but whatever bees are in the area and wherever they come from.

They're spending all their time on the ornamentals like Redbuds and ignoring the stuff I need them to work, like fruit trees and shrubs. C'mon guys, get your buzz on the things that matter!!!

It is too cool yet for my bee colonies to do much of anything.
Unfortunately, your profile does not show a location, so there is no reasonable way to offer an opinion.

 

[/pine]

It is too cool yet for my bee colonies to do much of anything.
Unfortunately, your profile does not show any location, so no way to offer an opinion.

If the ornamentals AND the fruit trees are blooming what difference does it make?

 

[fried1765]

If the ornamentals AND the fruit trees are blooming what difference does it make?

No obvious difference to us, though the bees likely have a distinct pollen/nectar source preference.
We all seem to like different flavors of lots of things.

 

[Alan W.]

My sons bees have all but ignored my fruit trees. But they are loading up somewhere. Thankfully we have an enormous population of native pollinators.
The wife did say the honeybees were swarming a cluster of holly bushes today. He started a new hive this evening so maybe they will show more interest. Fruit tree bloom is about over-but the blueberries are just getting wound up.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

It's often too cold for european honey bees to work fruit blossoms, particularly early blossom like cherries. Get a few blocks of wood and drill a few hundred quarter inch holes for miner bee nests, then hang them where they are protected from rain. Miner bees are native pollinators that don't make honey, but do a great job of pollinating early blossoms.

 

[fried1765]

My sons bees have all but ignored my fruit trees. But they are loading up somewhere. Thankfully we have an enormous population of native pollinators.
The wife did say the honeybees were swarming a cluster of holly bushes today. He started a new hive this evening so maybe they will show more interest. Fruit tree bloom is about over-but the blueberries are just getting wound up.

Holly is a bee favorite.

 

[jaydee325]

It's often too cold for european honey bees to work fruit blossoms, particularly early blossom like cherries. Get a few blocks of wood and drill a few hundred quarter inch holes for miner bee nests, then hang them where they are protected from rain. Miner bees are native pollinators that don't make honey, but do a great job of pollinating early blossoms.

Our local Menards is selling these nests. I never heard of these pollinators until I looked into it.

 

[aczlan]

Well, not MY bees since I don't have hives, but whatever bees are in the area and wherever they come from.

They're spending all their time on the ornamentals like Redbuds and ignoring the stuff I need them to work, like fruit trees and shrubs. C'mon guys, get your buzz on the things that matter!!!

As I recall, many flowers are not ready to be pollinated until they look like they are about to fall off, so the flowers may not be ready for the bees yet.

Aaron Z

 

[oosik]

It's been many years since I've seen real honey bees around here. Lots of wasps, hornets & yellow jackets. I hope they are filling the void.

Any broad leaf trees are just beginning to show leaves. Blooms are a while off yet. The lilac is just beginning to bud.

 

[/pine]

Wild bee species critical to pollination on the decline...

Wild bee species critical to pollination on the decline

 

[widefat]

Wild bee species critical to pollination on the decline...

Wild bee species critical to pollination on the decline

It's not just bees -

Insects are dying at record rates — a sign of a 6th mass extinction - Business Insider

 

[/pine]

Around here there seems to be an abundance of butterflies this year over years past but fewer fireflies and katydids last year...too early yet this year to tell...

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Around here there seems to be an abundance of butterflies this year over years past but fewer fireflies and katydids last year...too early yet this year to tell...

I don't think we really know if the drop in insect populations is a natural cycle or something we should push the panic button on. They are a big part of the food chain for the entire planet. For sure, scientists are paying a lot closer attention now.

 

[fried1765]

I don't think we really know if the drop in insect populations is a natural cycle or something we should push the panic button on. They are a big part of the food chain for the entire planet. For sure, scientists are paying a lot closer attention now.

My new 6 frame Italian bee "Nucs" will be set up, and buzzing, in two more weeks.

 

[Looking4new]

It's not just bees -

Insects are dying at record rates — a sign of a 6th mass extinction - Business Insider

Please tell that to the Blackflies and mosquitoes up here.

 

[goeduck]

Mason bees are the primary native ones we have.

 

[fried1765]

Please tell that to the Blackflies and mosquitoes up here.

Must be a bit early for them yet where you are, but cheer up...... they will be along very soon.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

My apple orchard had lots of pollinators and the large holly trees are fully of all kinds of bees right now. If we are losing a lot of insects, I can't tell. We still are swarmed By hundeds of bugs every time we are outside. I read that the polar vortex hurt the stinkbugs and it definately is less than last year but the mosquitoes is definately more. Ticks are really bad.