Re: Are you seeing bees?

**sanderson** 3/16/2014, 3:57 am

I saw a yellow and black bumble bee today Very Happy

and a few bees in the neighbor's flowering bay leaf tree. One bee in my yard seemed to having some trouble. Kept rubbing its face and front arms, then going from plastic to wood to some other object. Then back to rubbing. I think there is definitely something affecting the nervous system of some of the bees.

I have a question for you bee experts. When can I safely spray Neem? I think it is before sunrise and after sunset. But, is sunrise when the sun would hit the Valley floor if we didn't have the 10,000 foot mountains in the East. Or is it when the sun peaks over the mountains? Ditto on the sunset. When the sun disappears? I just don't want to be guilty of adding to the problem.

recoush 3/16/2014, 8:29 am

Neem oil is can be an inhalant if the wind is blowing, that said may affect the flight abilities, would suggest careful application as a downed bee is a dead bee.

Neem oil is practically non-toxic to birds, mammals, bees and plants. Neem oil is slightly toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. Azadirachtin, a component of neem oil, is moderately toxic to fish and other aquatic animals. It is important to remember that insects must eat the treated plant to be killed. Therefore, bees and other pollinators are not likely to be harmed.

Protect our Pollinators they are only hope Smile

check out this site for the whole nine yards Very Happy

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html

**camprn** 3/16/2014, 9:38 am

Sanderson, what does the product label say? Here is some light reading and food for thought.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=zKolU76XFse6qgHVoIH4Aw&url=http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/organic-farming-for-bees-xerces-society.pdf&cd=1&ved=0CCcQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNHDHYRctJuzuMaU603VVnUu6h2Clg&sig2=xEVj4n0GgcRNpOM2rAJZhw

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=zKolU76XFse6qgHVoIH4Aw&url=http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/8.%2520Krischik%25202013%2520bulletin%2520bee%2520conservation.pdf&cd=3&ved=0CC0QFjAC&usg=AFQjCNFrhnUrL1KJJGA7X-aii9RvAUrvaA&sig2=vPROw7PSKe_1s33XoqiV3g

**Turan** 3/16/2014, 12:30 pm

Maybe observation of when you see bees in the yard and keep a journal of that time as related to sun position? Seems like that would be more definitive than some one not there saying anything.

**camprn** 3/16/2014, 12:39 pm

The general rule of thumb is to not spray plants that are flowing and to spray before sun up or after sundown. Always read and follow any garden products label instructions.

**sanderson** 3/16/2014, 1:39 pm

Cam and Recoush, Thanks for the reading material.

I'll ask another question because the roses are near blooming and the aphids will be here overnight. I use dish soap, cooking oil and baking soda to wash off aphids, black mold and our sticky air pollution residue on bushes and the orange tree. Any harm to bees?

**camprn** 3/16/2014, 1:47 pm

Just don't spray bees directly. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-rose-bugs-killing-bees-23985.html

**sanderson** 3/16/2014, 1:53 pm

No, I wouldn't wet down a bee. I was just wondering if the bees could work the flowers afterwards, or the next day without harm. Even if I ended up washing the pollen away from the roses, I just don't want to affect the bee's life.

recoush 3/24/2014, 8:52 pm

Good Questions the answer is : Once the soapy oil mixture you mentioned is dry, all should be Good. Good idea to keep a list of when you see the Pollinators.

But no sun the bees go some place warm as the Sun warms their bodies also may not see them on overcast days unless very warm outside.

My mason bees want outside but we are just barely out of the 30 degree mark Looking at the temp charts. crossing my fingers for cleanup and then setup of my Home made bee house

Home made bee house pine But not cedar or any wood that is treated or painted Smile

the emergence box smaller box, now has 1/2" hole to let the bees out after Hibernation.

With hinges on the bottom so i can swing the front open and using toothpick with Glory on it to hold the front closed later will add wire to the front to keep the birds out

pay no attention to big foot in the photos hard to stay out of the image Very Happy

**donnainzone5** 3/24/2014, 10:26 pm

I did see two bees last week. I guess they returned to my SFG prematurely in search of pollen. At least they're still around!

**sanderson** 3/24/2014, 10:41 pm

Recoush, Sweet! Do you have a plan for building those? I can't figure out how they work from the photos. I think DH would like to make one. Shocked

Thanks for the reply. I had a small window to wash the orange tree but I was called away for the weekend and now the flowers are open and the bees are busy.

audrey.jeanne.roberts 3/25/2014, 12:49 am

Because of our mild weather (comparatively speaking Very Happy

) I see bees pretty much all year around. They love our Eucalyptus trees when they are in bloom and thousands of them are here.

We have solid black bumble bees, small regular bumble bees, regular bees and what the locals call "meat bees" that I don't think are actually bees at all. They look more in the wasp family.

Only one of my lavender plants survived the winter, so I need to get some seedlings planted, the bees love the lavender.

**sanderson** 3/25/2014, 1:02 am

Meat bees! affraid

I had one bad experience with them while trying to picnic in the mountains (Shaver Lake).

**camprn** 3/25/2014, 6:38 am

'Meat bees' = wasp/hornet. These are not bees, although they may be pollinators

**AtlantaMarie** 3/25/2014, 9:26 am

Never heard of meat bees... Anyone have a pic?

The bumble's are out & about working on my blueberries, peaches, & pears. The mahogany wasps are looking for nesting spots and investigating the garden.

**camprn** 3/25/2014, 9:32 am

AtlantaMarie wrote:Never heard of meat bees... Anyone have a pic?

No such thing. This is what some folk call yellow jackets, which is a wasp. They are not bees.

Yellow Jacket

Bee

**sanderson** 3/25/2014, 11:39 am

camprn wrote:
AtlantaMarie wrote:Never heard of meat bees... Anyone have a pic?

No such thing. This is what some folk call yellow jackets, which is a wasp. They are not bees.

Yellow Jacket

Bee

+1

It's just a nick name. I've only seen this aggressive behavior in the mountains. If you have a meat sandwich, you might as well give it to them. You didn't want it anyway!

audrey.jeanne.roberts 3/25/2014, 12:39 pm

I thought they were of the wasp family. That's them in the picture. Our biggest frustration is that when the weather is nice enough to eat outside on the patio - the "meat bees" think so too, LOL! They are SERIOUSLY aggressive and will swarm your plate for the food.

**sanderson** 3/25/2014, 1:10 pm

Yep!

**camprn** 3/25/2014, 1:14 pm

Please stop calling them bees , they are wasps.

Bees eat nectar and pollen and water. They can be beneficial in the garden.

Wasps eat nectar, pollen, water & carrion. They can be beneficial in the garden.

There are MANY TYPES of BEES.

There are MANY TYPES of WASPS.

Bees and wasps are not the same type of creature.

**sanderson** 3/25/2014, 1:36 pm

Camp, sorry. Audrey and I will stop calling them "bees" on this wide spread forum. It's just a local nickname so ingrained.

Folks, they are not bees.

Marc Iverson 3/25/2014, 1:57 pm

For one thing, WASPS are protestant, and bees, as everyone knows, are catholic.

Marc Iverson 3/25/2014, 2:03 pm

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:I thought they were of the wasp family. That's them in the picture. Our biggest frustration is that when the weather is nice enough to eat outside on the patio - the "meat bees" think so too, LOL! They are SERIOUSLY aggressive and will swarm your plate for the food.

Yup. Ours are absolutely relentless and very fast at their job, and couldn't care less how much you try to wave them away. They will be right back on your food with a quickness, even if it's in your hand. Eventually I wind up thinking there's no way I'll get out of this without getting stung or even get a wasp following my food right into my mouth. Fierce little creatures. They always win.

It makes me sad because they can be such good parasites on harmful garden pests, yet we set out wasp traps so we can go outdoors in the summer and kill them by the score. It's the only way we can eat out there, or sometimes even be out there. Sometimes they swarm about us even when we don't have food, and it's uncomfortable and intimidating.

boffer 3/25/2014, 2:13 pm

Marc Iverson wrote:For one thing, WASPS are protestant, and bees, as everyone knows, are catholic.

(but I did have to google the bee/catholic relationship)

CapeCoddess 3/25/2014, 4:10 pm

Marc Iverson wrote:
audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:I thought they were of the wasp family. That's them in the picture. Our biggest frustration is that when the weather is nice enough to eat outside on the patio - the "meat bees" think so too, LOL! They are SERIOUSLY aggressive and will swarm your plate for the food.

Yup. Ours are absolutely relentless and very fast at their job, and couldn't care less how much you try to wave them away. They will be right back on your food with a quickness, even if it's in your hand. Eventually I wind up thinking there's no way I'll get out of this without getting stung or even get a wasp following my food right into my mouth. Fierce little creatures. They always win.

It makes me sad because they can be such good parasites on harmful garden pests,

We have this also. It IS annoying. Mom almost ate one while taking a bite of a sandwich outside. They land on me and I walk around with them hitchhiking. But we don't kill them since they are good for the garden. I'd rather eat indoors.

A cut piece of onion on the sting for 10 minutes works great, people, if you're not allergic to the sting to begin with.

CC

Sponsored content


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.