Bees

[Trellum]

This is the first year after about 7 years I've had so many bees in my yard, way back when in 2003 when I moved here there were no bees to be seen by 2005 they bees were back at the point you could hardly see the flowers with the bees on then, I've all ways been Pesticide and chemicals free. But come 2007 the bees were slowly disappearing and over the next few years I would see one or two bees but with any luck the will grow in numbers again. I feel that if people would stop or cut back on the chemicals they use the bees would make a come back.

Same here!!! I saw several just a couple weeks ago, even when we were on our way somewhere, we saw a bee flying near our car window! We felt a bit jumpy (no one likes bee stings, lol), but at the same time happy... it had been years since I saw a bee in the open road... I wonder what our little buddies are up to?

 

[Trellum]

Even with a wet summer here in my world, I have seen different butterflies and bees hovering over my flowers. It is such a good sight to see especially for me since I live smack in the city. So far, butterflies and bees seem to like my white cornflowers that are blooming at the moment.

I am glad to hear more and more people are starting to see more bees I knew I couldn't be the only one, I am so glad this is a generalized thing! I was starting to get worried some years ago because I hadn't seen a single bee in the yard, and they were there often before (getting water).

 

[Chuck]

I have a hive of wild honey bees living in a very old Live Oak tree. Some years there are very few of them and other years thousands. This year there are more than in the past 4-6 years due to, I think, all of the rainfall we have had and all of the food sources for them as a result. During the time of scarce honey bees other pollinators took up the slack. I would hate to see the honey bees completely gone but if they were to disappear altogether it would not be the end of the world. The honey bees were imported a few hundred years ago from Europe so it is not as if they are a native species and we cannot get along without them. North America was being pollinated very well for millions of years without them.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I learn some thing new today, check this out about native bees,

http://www.bugguide.net/node/view/475348

 

[sixxup]

sometimes back I had 3 beehives. Unfortunately one day the bees got out, stung my two goats to death. That made me to destroy the beehives. I hear that there are stingless bees but I have never kept them. How can I get them?

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I'm not sure where you would find them in your country or if you even have a sting less bee there, You might check this site out and see if it helps.
http://www.thehive.co.ke/stingless.php

 

[Beth_B]

Bees are not the only pollinators, although they are certainly important. Many insects and birds are important pollinators, some that you wouldn't expect:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/

Never heard of stingless bees. Couple of years ago the guy that was mowing my lawn ran over a ground bee nest and got stung a whole bunch of times. It was right next to my front door, about 10 feet away, so I'm afraid I eliminated them. But I have lots of flowers and don't mow down anything native that flowers, and I see lots of bees around here.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Beth, their not really stingless, but when the do sting its like a flea bite, but I've never had any problem with them biting me.

 

[marlingardener]

We do have a stingerless bee--the Cedar bee. It looks like a bumblebee on steroids, very large (1" to 1 1/2" long) and very slow. They just gently bumble around the flowers and don't harm anyone or anything. They don't have that sharp protrusion from their nether region.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Cedar bees are like carpenter bees,( if not the same ) the males don't have a stinger, its the female that can sting but as a rule the are very docile and are not known to sting people, but I wouldn't push my luck making her mad

 

[InvasiveCreeper]

Raising and keeping native bees is an important task. I love mason bees.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Raising and keeping native bees is an important task. I love mason bees.

Mason bees are fun to keep, I didn't get my mason house up but they made a home in a old fence post that had a bird house on so I'll set up there house in the spring.

 

[Mint]

We have a lot of bees back in the country where I come from. I have a beehive that fetches honey every once in a while. Only we have to compete with honey badgers for it. Bees are essential and should not be extinct. I think it is time more people started considering bee keeping as a livelihood.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I wanted a bee hive but living in the city, they won't allow them because of how close the homes are, so I'll stick to Mason bees because the city thinks their safe and won't go around stinging people. I think its dumb because honey bees don't go around just stinging people. I've a allergic reaction to bee stings but that won't keep me out of the garden or away from bees.

 

[Trellum]

We have a lot of bees back in the country where I come from. I have a beehive that fetches honey every once in a while. Only we have to compete with honey badgers for it. Bees are essential and should not be extinct. I think it is time more people started considering bee keeping as a livelihood.

A honey badger? :O I have never seen one! I hope you guys get the honey most of the time though My biological dad ad a friend who kept beehives and got the honey. I honestly didn't like the honey he produced, he gave us the honeycombs I didn't enjoy it one bit.