Lack of bees?

[Fletch]

I have a number of apple trees and a couple cherry trees in the back. All were in full bloom about 7-10 days ago. I noticed a serious lack of any honey bees. There were a few bumblers and that is it. I know the bees were having a serious decline a bunch of years back but the last two years I have seen quite a bounce back. This year has me concerned that not much fruit will bear as the lack of pollination.

I am in CNY, anyone else noticed a decline or absence?

[kpkot]

It's from all those jerk ovs in the lawn thread.  All them chemicals! 

[bugsNbows]

I don't think so Tim (as Al used to say to Tim the Toolman).

[ApexerER]

I have a crab apple tree right next to my deck. Last weekend when it was in full bloom there were so many bees in the tree you could hear it buzzing....

[turkeyfeathers]

52 minutes ago, kpkot said:

It's from all those jerk ovs in the lawn thread.  All them chemicals! 

I was catch 22 on getting rid of the clover. Honey bees love it. But so do rabbits who then move on to our expensive plants.  Bastid ate $200 worth of plants in 2 days few years ago. I then went to rabbit witness relocation plan last year.  And rabbit spray shield this year for seedlings 

[Fletch]

1 hour ago, ApexerER said:

I have a crab apple tree right next to my deck. Last weekend when it was in full bloom there were so many bees in the tree you could hear it buzzing....

That is what it is usually like, not this year though.

 

 

[ATbuckhunter]

The whole world is haveing a bee crisis. Its known as Colony collaps disorder

[The_Real_TCIII]

The whole world is haveing a bee crisis. Its known as Colony collaps disorder

I used to rep Sue Bee Honey, they were very passionate about CCD. it's a serious issue

[ATbuckhunter]

27 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

I used to rep Sue Bee Honey, they were very passionate about CCD. it's a serious issue

As far as I know, no one really knows the cause and how to prevent it. Scary to think just how important a small insect can really be and how hard we'd have to work with out them.

[nyslowhand]

For years, all the local apple farmers have leased imported bee hives for their pollination season. If I recall correctly, most bee-keepers/hivers are from down south.

FYI:

"The bee’s plight is widespread: Serious declines have been reported in both managed honeybee colonies and wild populations. Jennifer Sass, an NRDC senior scientist, says there are multiple factors at play. Each on its own is bad enough, but combined they are quickly proving too much to handle.

Pesticides: These chemicals are designed, of course, to kill insects. But some systemic varieties—specifically neonicotinoids—are worse for bees than others.

Loss of habitat: As rural areas become urban, the patches of green space that remain are often stripped of all weeds and their flowers, which bees rely on for food.

Climate change: Unusually warm winters have caused plants to shift their schedules. When bees come out of hibernation, the flowers they need to feed on have already bloomed and died.

Disease: Pathogens carried by mites weaken bees, which makes them more susceptible to pesticide poisoning. On the flip side, if bees are already weakened by pesticides, they’re more vulnerable to disease."

[crappyice]

Trump did it..

My buddy keeps bees in Columbia and Westchester County. I know nothing about bees but I do know that this very educated (and smart) very successful person is baffled by bee colonies every year. So many variables that seem to impact their hives.

 

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[bugsNbows]

Bees B the bugs nuts! 

[Bigfoot 327]

Friend of mine hauls tractor trailer flatbed loads of bees from the Watertown area to Florida each Fall. This past week he hauled them back North. Tricky business, he can't let get to hot. The hives are encased in netting. He still gets an occasional sting.

By the way, honey bees are an invasive species imported from Europe. That's why the native Americans learned to boil down sap into syrup and candy. There was no honey to be had!

[crappyice]

Friend of mine hauls tractor trailer flatbed loads of bees from the Watertown area to Florida each Fall. This past week he hauled them back North. Tricky business, he can't let get to hot. The hives are encased in netting. He still gets an occasional sting.
By the way, honey bees are an invasive species imported from Europe. That's why the native Americans learned to boil down sap into syrup and candy. There was no honey to be had!

How were crops pollinated prior to bees?


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[The_Field_Ager]

20 hours ago, kpkot said:

It's from all those jerk ovs in the lawn thread.  All them chemicals! 

Glyphosphates, Roundup, Yes

[The_Field_Ager]

6 minutes ago, crappyice said:

How were crops pollinated prior to bees?


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Quote

Grain crops can vary greatly in the way that they are pollinated, and because of this, they can vary greatly in terms of the benefit that they receive from insect pollination. The main grain crops, such as wheat, barley, maize, oats and rye are all wind pollinated crops and receive no benefit from insect pollination

http://beeaware.org.au/pollination/pollinator-reliant-crops/grains/

[Jeremy K]

1 hour ago, crappyice said:

How were crops pollinated prior to bees?


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By hand

[landtracdeerhunter]

11 hours ago, ATbuckhunter said:

As far as I know, no one really knows the cause and how to prevent it. Scary to think just how important a small insect can really be and how hard we'd have to work with out them.

Goggle the studies preformed by Cornell. Strong evidence to support the seed treatment use on Agriculture treated corn seed ending up in the corn tassel. Bees work the tassel and contact is made with the contaminated pollen.

 

[landtracdeerhunter]

22 hours ago, Fletch said:

I have a number of apple trees and a couple cherry trees in the back. All were in full bloom about 7-10 days ago. I noticed a serious lack of any honey bees. There were a few bumblers and that is it. I know the bees were having a serious decline a bunch of years back but the last two years I have seen quite a bounce back. This year has me concerned that not much fruit will bear as the lack of pollination.

I am in CNY, anyone else noticed a decline or absence?

Not the number of bees in a colony this season due to the late Spring. The greatest number of bees in a colony is just prior to a honey flow, when the greatest number of flowers are in blossom, Late start this season due to the cold wet weather.

[Bigfoot 327]

3 hours ago, crappyice said:

How were crops pollinated prior to bees?


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There are more than 4,000 species of bees in North America. 

[ATbuckhunter]

4 hours ago, Bigfoot 327 said:

There are more than 4,000 species of bees in North America. 

But I believe the best polinators we have are european honey bees 

[stubborn1VT]

I agree with Fletch.  I have seen some bumblebees around, but almost no honey bees.  My buddy claims that the honey bees are keyed in on dandelions, and that's why I'm not seeing them.  I'm not so sure.  One of my neighbors lost all 6 of his hives over the winter.  He should be getting replacements soon.  I would get my own bees if it didn't sound so darn difficult.

[left field]

My cabin neighbour keeps a dozen hives on the roof of his cabin. Since he’s in the deep woods and has no water they come to my ponds, flowers and clover. Haven’t seen many yet but expect them to show up soon. 

We have a good deal - I cut the grass in front of his property and he gives me a few litres of honey each year.

Fletch, if you have that many trees you may want to start a small hive. Doesn’t seem that expensive or difficult.  

[crappyice]

My cabin neighbour keeps a dozen hives on the roof of his cabin. Since he’s in the deep woods and has no water they come to my ponds, flowers and clover. Haven’t seen many yet but expect them to show up soon. 
We have a good deal - I cut the grass in front of his property and he gives me a few litres of honey each year.
Fletch, if you have that many trees you may want to start a small hive. Doesn’t seem that expensive or difficult.  

My buddy seems to drop some pretty significant coin each year and the initial start up was a bit pricey for the suit, the spinners, gives, etc.


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[left field]

My guy is a Ukrainian immigrant who tends his bees in shorts while smoking a cigar. 

I guess if you’re into honey collecting then maybe it gets expensive. But if the goal is pollination, the colony cost him $130 and he builds the hives which look pretty rudimentary. $500 should get you started.  

Edited May 27, 2019 by left field