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Are you seeing bees?
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Re: Are you seeing bees?
I have a lot of bees, but they seem to be big ones (carpenter?) or very small, for the most part.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
Here in Northern Delaware, I'm seeing a lot of Bumblebees, but so far no Honey Bees.
flintlock28- Posts : 19
Join date : 2010-05-22
Age : 60
Location : Wilmington, Delaware
Carpenter Bees
Do Carpenter Bees pollinate? We have a lot of carpenter bees on our deck but I have never seen them on a flower.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
Lots of carpenter bees, many bumble bees, a couple other "random" bees, few honey bees as of now. But I'm sure they'll come soon. I saw one around my strawberry flowers a few days ago.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I also finally have a honey bee! I'm hoping she tells her friends soon. I have several carpenter bees, too. They are so sweet! I talk to them more than I do my plants.
nancy- Posts : 594
Join date : 2010-03-16
Location : Cincinnati, Ohio (6a)
Re: Are you seeing bees?
We have two ground colonies of bumblebees right outside our garage. We had a pest guy come over for our mouse problem, and he told us to pour bleach down into their homes, and I just couldn't do that. They cause no harm to anyone, and they do a great job of pollinating our plants.
I've seen some honey bees. They're not as common as the bumble bees, but they're not really scarce, either.
As for bats, I know New York (where I live) has had a huge die out of them because of the white nose syndrome, but you wouldn't have known it this weekend. We got two bats in the house just this weekend!
I've seen some honey bees. They're not as common as the bumble bees, but they're not really scarce, either.
As for bats, I know New York (where I live) has had a huge die out of them because of the white nose syndrome, but you wouldn't have known it this weekend. We got two bats in the house just this weekend!
Re: Are you seeing bees?
Sapphire, what about a bee relocation type company? I always say bumble bees are ust big silly ole bee Like the linemen I work with
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I have tons of bumblebees, a few honey bees (better than nothing!) and last year I had some predator bees - the little arachnid wasps. They killed my tomato horn worm just like they are supposed to. (Although it prevented me from telling a great story like Ralitico did about his tomato horn worm!!!)
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I have lots of wasps, but haven't seen any bees yet. Just planted some flowers that bees are supposed to love though. I hope there is enough time for them to grow from seed to flower.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I think we have a pretty good bee population around. I see them on my chive, sage, citrus, and berry flowers quite a bit.
A few carpenter bees, but not many.
More predatory wasps this year (the tiny ones) which is great because they are helping with the spider mite/white fly issue
A few carpenter bees, but not many.
More predatory wasps this year (the tiny ones) which is great because they are helping with the spider mite/white fly issue
MeyerLemon- Posts : 31
Join date : 2010-03-02
Location : CA
Bees and Bats
We have a huge old walnut tree in our yard that is a bee tree, (you should smell the honey aroma from it on a hot summer day), and although we saw a few bees buzzing around their entrance in early spring the big population didn't appear until the red bud trees bloomed. Then I didn't see them again until the white clover bloomed. One of our son's friends has become a beekeeper and he plans to set several new hives around our pond. He will give us honey in return. I can't wait.
We always have bumblebees - they love our red clover and chive blossoms, and we also have carpenter bees on our deck, but I never knew they helped with pollination.
I was told recently that the caves along the Eleven Point River in southern Missouri have been closed to humans because of the appearance of the white-nose disease found in New York. There is fear that human visitors will spread the disease on their shoes. We have little bats that fly around our yard at night, but I have no idea what kind they are. I saw my dogs playing wishbone with a dead bat a few weeks ago, which is unusual. I called the vet to see if rabies had been reported in the area, but none so far. After I learned about the cave closures, I can only hope the bat disease hasn't spread to this area.
We always have bumblebees - they love our red clover and chive blossoms, and we also have carpenter bees on our deck, but I never knew they helped with pollination.
I was told recently that the caves along the Eleven Point River in southern Missouri have been closed to humans because of the appearance of the white-nose disease found in New York. There is fear that human visitors will spread the disease on their shoes. We have little bats that fly around our yard at night, but I have no idea what kind they are. I saw my dogs playing wishbone with a dead bat a few weeks ago, which is unusual. I called the vet to see if rabies had been reported in the area, but none so far. After I learned about the cave closures, I can only hope the bat disease hasn't spread to this area.
ander217- Posts : 1450
Join date : 2010-03-16
Age : 69
Location : Southeastern Missouri (6b)
Re: Are you seeing bees?
July 2010: I saw my first honeybees just this week. They are very excited about the squashes. I have had wasps all along, but these are the first honeybees.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I don't know what kind of bees I've got, but I think a few are honey bees. I have seen at least 5 kinds of bees (all different sizes), plus hornets and wasps. The latter seem to be attracted by my sprinkler system especially.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
if they have the same coloring as a yellow jacket, but their bodies are fuzzy, and kinda make you want to pet them a little, they are honey bees!
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Are you seeing bees?
We haven't really seen them yet, but I am worried that I might have something to do with that. I usually have close to a 100 foot long flower bed filled with zinnias and petunias. This year I opted to try dahlia and they are no where near ready to bloom. I hope the bees still come around!
milaneyjane- Posts : 422
Join date : 2010-03-18
Location : MN Zone 4
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I saw huge fuzzy bumble bee going to town on a melon blossom this morning. I wish we had more bees, but the hubby freaks out with anything of the sort, because he's very allergic. Next year I'm "wanting" to plant some flowers to help with the natural pollination. I'm not confident though, I have a green thumb for veggies it seems and roses, trees, and shrubs... houseplants and flowers however, I seem to look em funny and they decide "buh-bye."
Re: Are you seeing bees?
Kimber---try zinnia---they are near foolproof and both the bees and the butterfly love them, not to mention they make great cut flowers.
milaneyjane- Posts : 422
Join date : 2010-03-18
Location : MN Zone 4
Re: Are you seeing bees?
Nancy, I intend no disrespect whatsoever. Everyone loves sunflowers. (except me.) My grandparents, whom I adored, grew sunflowers.
They are certainly cheerful, but they are so, well, BIG!
What does one do with them?
They are certainly cheerful, but they are so, well, BIG!
What does one do with them?
martha- Posts : 2173
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 67
Location : Acton, Massachusetts Zone 5b/6a
Re: Are you seeing bees?
martha wrote:Nancy, I intend no disrespect whatsoever. Everyone loves sunflowers. (except me.) My grandparents, whom I adored, grew sunflowers.
They are certainly cheerful, but they are so, well, BIG!
What does one do with them?
Well let's see. Eat them. Or let the birds eat them and if you have enough of the right type sell them to David's. My B-I-L did that one year and made a handsome profit.
Taking out our honey comb to brush up on some bee facts....
Bee pollination is responsible for $15 Billion ($15,000,000,000.00) in added crop value in the United States, particularly among fruit and vegetable crops and specialty crops like almonds.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has characterized bees' contribution to food production as affecting one mouthful in three in Americans' diets.
Almost every state has groups for people interested in beekeeping. There are 30 in Virginia.
And bees love sunflowers.
God Bless, Ward and Mary.
WardinWake
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 934
Join date : 2010-02-26
Age : 74
Location : Wake, VA
Re: Are you seeing bees?
No disrespect taken Last year I participated in the Great Sunflower Project where everyone who participated planted Lemon Queens, then we recorded how many honey bees we saw in a certain amount of time. I got so much out of it! In addition to huge flowers that just plain make me happy, I got to see the lovely ladies who came and fed on them. Pollinating bees are responsible for one out of every 3 bites of food we take. So I actively try to entice them to my yard. Plus the sunflowers attracted gold finches & cardinals - a huge bonus! (And the sweet carpenter bees - I love to watch them!!) It's ok to not like them. There's plenty of things I don't like (squirrels, who also like sunflowers. Yep, I said it out loud - I no longer like squirrels. They are the enemy! ). And there are bunches of other flowers that attract bees. And there are shorter varieties of sunflowers, too. They really do make me happy - them & daisies. Thanks!!
nancy- Posts : 594
Join date : 2010-03-16
Location : Cincinnati, Ohio (6a)
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I am sensitive to bees, not sure how much, but ...long story short, I have an epi-pen now. As a result I have been very nervous around bees.
But, I have tried to plant for them off to the side in our garden. This year, our bee balm plants finally bloomed, and between that, the sage, some other plants, and all our wonderful veggies, we are seeing a LOT of bees (and hornets and wasps, too.)
I was really afraid of trying to attract them, but I couldn't but not. And...I have to tell you all, proximity is starting to help me calm down about them. I am still worried about interrupting a bee in the middle of pollen-gathering (and I will tap a plant or the trellis fairly hard before working with it) but they really do seem to be in grocery-shopping mode, the bees anyway. (I am much less trustful of the meat-eaters.) It has been a great experience this year, I am glad for it.
But, I have tried to plant for them off to the side in our garden. This year, our bee balm plants finally bloomed, and between that, the sage, some other plants, and all our wonderful veggies, we are seeing a LOT of bees (and hornets and wasps, too.)
I was really afraid of trying to attract them, but I couldn't but not. And...I have to tell you all, proximity is starting to help me calm down about them. I am still worried about interrupting a bee in the middle of pollen-gathering (and I will tap a plant or the trellis fairly hard before working with it) but they really do seem to be in grocery-shopping mode, the bees anyway. (I am much less trustful of the meat-eaters.) It has been a great experience this year, I am glad for it.
Re: Are you seeing bees?
At work we once got a notice that it was rattlesnake season and be careful in the parking lot (like don't step on a baby one when you are getting into your car). The client I was speaking to said, "Clare, just run in a zigzag pattern!" ROFLMAO!!! They weren't crazed attack snakes, just snakes.
I guess it is the same with bees. We all worry about the attack of bees like killer bees but in the normal course of things, you are right. They just go about their business and if we don't grab them or step on them or threaten their hive, they aren't crazed attack bees.
I am impressed that you have done this - keep that epi pin handy and keep attracting bees!
I guess it is the same with bees. We all worry about the attack of bees like killer bees but in the normal course of things, you are right. They just go about their business and if we don't grab them or step on them or threaten their hive, they aren't crazed attack bees.
I am impressed that you have done this - keep that epi pin handy and keep attracting bees!
Plenty o' bees around here!
I had read that if you spray your cucumber blossoms with sugar water it'll attract bees. So that's what I did and it's been wonderful to see the bees come to pollinate!!!
Big ol' bumblers just feasting away. My cuke plants are LOVIN' it!
Big ol' bumblers just feasting away. My cuke plants are LOVIN' it!
rjdudley55- Posts : 10
Join date : 2010-05-08
Age : 69
Location : gilmanton, nh 5a
Re: Are you seeing bees?
I stopped at home on my lunch break today and in less than 20 minutes I watched a huge butterfly (tiger something?), a small white butterfly, 2 fat & fuzzy bees (honey or bumble?), and a small striped bee go to work in my SFG. It was awesome to watch. I even stayed too long and got back to the office a bit late! It's funny b/c I had just been talking about the lack of bees an hour earlier!
They all spent the most time on my single blooming sunflower. The fat bees then visited the cucumber trellis. They scared away the little black flies that have been roosting in the cuke flowers. My cukes are growing like wildfire from all this pollination!
Sadly, though, my pumpkins and watermelons have yet to show any fruit. The pumpkin vines have been blooming daily for weeks now, too! I hope they show some growth soon or I may not get any sugar babies this summer. How can these guys zero in on those quarter-sized cuke flowers and miss the gigantic neon pumpkin blooms that are 4 feet away!?
Maybe I should spray the melons with sugar water?
They all spent the most time on my single blooming sunflower. The fat bees then visited the cucumber trellis. They scared away the little black flies that have been roosting in the cuke flowers. My cukes are growing like wildfire from all this pollination!
Sadly, though, my pumpkins and watermelons have yet to show any fruit. The pumpkin vines have been blooming daily for weeks now, too! I hope they show some growth soon or I may not get any sugar babies this summer. How can these guys zero in on those quarter-sized cuke flowers and miss the gigantic neon pumpkin blooms that are 4 feet away!?
Maybe I should spray the melons with sugar water?
trukrebew- Posts : 129
Join date : 2010-03-24
Location : The Garden State — Watchung, NJ — Zone 6b
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