The bees are struggling this year. I still see them around my own yard but not with the same vigor as last year. Still a bit early in season for my area though so hoping for more action soon. Hope your garden sees the same.
Aerodynamic_Potato
I’ve noticed some small pollinators and native bees, but the honey bees have been noticeably absent this season so far. I hope they are OK
azucarleta
I have only seen a few confirmed bees. A european honey bee, I believe, and some kind of fat bumble bee. I’m in Utah, 7a, USA. But I have mostly tons and tons and tons of European paper wasps who, while not native, provide extremely valuable ecological services including pollination and pest predation, and they’re friendly. I mean, these buggers eat some aphids, european paperwhite moth larvae which are hell for cruciferous vegetables, and I’ve seen them team up like wolves against grasshoppers.
I haven’t seen dreaded grasshoppers much around here lately 🙂
Optimoprimo
We’re in the midst of an ecosystem collapse. Scientists have been screaming about it, warning about it for years now. But in the noise of all the recent global politics, it’s gotten no traction. We are living out the plot of “Dont Look Up” with incredible precision.
Farahild
Climate change, pollution, almost everybody not giving a fuck. We’re down so many insects already that it’s hard not to worry that we’re doomed…
Cool-Presentation538
They’re dead, Jim
Segazorgs
I’m seeing them in my yard. My wisterias were swarming with bumblebees a month ago. Saw a sweat bee in my creeping thyme the other day. For whatever reason there are a ton of flies all over my flowers. There are still honeybees and bumblebees flying around my red sage. Though I don’t see that adding natives brought a bunch of butterflies or a lot of native bees. I rarely see anything on my poppies or western wall flowers or lupines. Most of the pollinators seem to prefer my lavender, creeping thyme and wisteria.
idkmyusernameagain
I think they’re all at my house.
Gamer_Mommy
Time to get some native bees/pollinators and put them in a nice hotel.
Pract1calPA
Same. I’ve seen a handful of bugs but not that much. My daffodils, hyacinths and a few dandelions have gone to seed.
buttmunch3
im in texas, i have a few decent sized patches of native wildflowers and i have seen a few honeybees (not native to USA), 2 moths, and one firefly. our wildflowers struggled really hard this year too.
climate change, habitat loss, constant broad spectrum pesticide use, and light/noise/actual pollution. we have successfully killed most of them off i guess. i’m sad.
bnoccholi
buy a bee house 🙂
PhantomLuna7
It’s been heaving with insects around me recently, but I’m lucky to live in an area with a lot of green spaces and efforts being made to plant for wildlife in public areas.
Geeko22
Same in southeastern New Mexico. I’m not seeing any pollinators at all.
DrDillyDally
Most of these commenters are US based, op is UK. It’s actually been quite a good spring for bees this year here
I can attest to this as we “accidently” attracted 10s of thousands of swarming bees to our tiny garden 2 weeks ago on a lovely sunny Sunday where everyone and their kids were outside… we were not popular with the neighbours…
HappyPlace003
I’m seeing a drop on leaf cutters since last year 🙁
CharleyNobody
How’s the weather? Where I am it’s been a chilly spring. I usually don’t see pollinators until temps are consistently above 60 degrees and we’ve had sunny days. When it’s just sunny for one day then rains for 3 days I don’t see many pollinators.
kingcoin1
They’re dead
OddlyMingenuity
Build homes for solitary bees, wood blocks drilled with 4mm to 9mm holes, 2 inches deep. Regular bees are too fragiles. I don’t expect them anymore
chupacactus
I’m the propagator at a native-focused local nursery and the sharp decline in bees and other pollinating insects this year from last year is fucking shocking. I’m used to seeing tons of different species all day long this time of year and I think I saw one single bee all day yesterday. I’m really hoping this year is an extreme dip that will recover in following years, not the new normal :/ Gorgeous meadow, thank you for planting it and I hope more pollinators discover it soon!
TsuDhoNimh2
It depends on the time of day, the weather, and what else is blooming nearby.
Player-non-player
I have hundreds of blooming flowers, pear and apple tree in bloom and looking at them today saw a total of 1 honeybee on the pear tree. Just 4 years ago if I walked even close to those trees you could see and hear dozens of hb’s and bb’s. The trees would be heard buzzing from the driveway.
AceTheJ
Butterflies have been disappearing at alarming rates
bluetacres
I’ve seen a ton of flies on my native bluets and dwarf cinquefoil. Small native bees, but mostly flies
27 Comments
Get a mason bee house to create your own colony of pollinators.
My next door neighbor is a beekeeper so I see plenty of those. Maybe this is a sign you should become a beekeeper lol.
Before we jump to conclusions – where are you located? Creeping buttercup is invasive in some parts of North America but native to Europe and the UK. https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=6291
The bees are struggling this year. I still see them around my own yard but not with the same vigor as last year. Still a bit early in season for my area though so hoping for more action soon. Hope your garden sees the same.
I’ve noticed some small pollinators and native bees, but the honey bees have been noticeably absent this season so far. I hope they are OK
I have only seen a few confirmed bees. A european honey bee, I believe, and some kind of fat bumble bee. I’m in Utah, 7a, USA. But I have mostly tons and tons and tons of European paper wasps who, while not native, provide extremely valuable ecological services including pollination and pest predation, and they’re friendly. I mean, these buggers eat some aphids, european paperwhite moth larvae which are hell for cruciferous vegetables, and I’ve seen them team up like wolves against grasshoppers.
I haven’t seen dreaded grasshoppers much around here lately 🙂
We’re in the midst of an ecosystem collapse. Scientists have been screaming about it, warning about it for years now. But in the noise of all the recent global politics, it’s gotten no traction. We are living out the plot of “Dont Look Up” with incredible precision.
Climate change, pollution, almost everybody not giving a fuck. We’re down so many insects already that it’s hard not to worry that we’re doomed…
They’re dead, Jim
I’m seeing them in my yard. My wisterias were swarming with bumblebees a month ago. Saw a sweat bee in my creeping thyme the other day. For whatever reason there are a ton of flies all over my flowers. There are still honeybees and bumblebees flying around my red sage. Though I don’t see that adding natives brought a bunch of butterflies or a lot of native bees. I rarely see anything on my poppies or western wall flowers or lupines. Most of the pollinators seem to prefer my lavender, creeping thyme and wisteria.
I think they’re all at my house.
Time to get some native bees/pollinators and put them in a nice hotel.
Same. I’ve seen a handful of bugs but not that much. My daffodils, hyacinths and a few dandelions have gone to seed.
im in texas, i have a few decent sized patches of native wildflowers and i have seen a few honeybees (not native to USA), 2 moths, and one firefly. our wildflowers struggled really hard this year too.
climate change, habitat loss, constant broad spectrum pesticide use, and light/noise/actual pollution. we have successfully killed most of them off i guess. i’m sad.
buy a bee house 🙂
It’s been heaving with insects around me recently, but I’m lucky to live in an area with a lot of green spaces and efforts being made to plant for wildlife in public areas.
Same in southeastern New Mexico. I’m not seeing any pollinators at all.
Most of these commenters are US based, op is UK. It’s actually been quite a good spring for bees this year here
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2lzy510401o.amp
I can attest to this as we “accidently” attracted 10s of thousands of swarming bees to our tiny garden 2 weeks ago on a lovely sunny Sunday where everyone and their kids were outside… we were not popular with the neighbours…
I’m seeing a drop on leaf cutters since last year 🙁
How’s the weather? Where I am it’s been a chilly spring. I usually don’t see pollinators until temps are consistently above 60 degrees and we’ve had sunny days. When it’s just sunny for one day then rains for 3 days I don’t see many pollinators.
They’re dead
Build homes for solitary bees, wood blocks drilled with 4mm to 9mm holes, 2 inches deep. Regular bees are too fragiles. I don’t expect them anymore
I’m the propagator at a native-focused local nursery and the sharp decline in bees and other pollinating insects this year from last year is fucking shocking. I’m used to seeing tons of different species all day long this time of year and I think I saw one single bee all day yesterday. I’m really hoping this year is an extreme dip that will recover in following years, not the new normal :/ Gorgeous meadow, thank you for planting it and I hope more pollinators discover it soon!
It depends on the time of day, the weather, and what else is blooming nearby.
I have hundreds of blooming flowers, pear and apple tree in bloom and looking at them today saw a total of 1 honeybee on the pear tree. Just 4 years ago if I walked even close to those trees you could see and hear dozens of hb’s and bb’s. The trees would be heard buzzing from the driveway.
Butterflies have been disappearing at alarming rates
I’ve seen a ton of flies on my native bluets and dwarf cinquefoil. Small native bees, but mostly flies
New England