Author Topic: lower bee numbers this year? (Read 4924 times)

waterbuffalofarmer · « **on:** June 28, 2016, 06:28:53 pm »

I have noticed that the bee population on the farm this summer is quite low, lower than last year, there is plenty of stuff for them to feed from and I don't see any farmers using high pesticide sprays, the university farm a couple of miles away uses some pesticides, but would this effect at all? Would greatly love to hear everyones opinions on this

The weather has been rather wet this year, but we have had a few dry spells so far.

Q · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2016, 07:36:10 pm »

Although I haven't seen many, we're not having the same problem here - I have some young apple tree that look like every single blossom was pollinated and I have never ever seen so many fruits on an apple tree before.
Well I assume that was the bees........

GitaBooks · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2016, 08:17:54 pm »

Bees are having troubles all over America for a variety of a reasons, and so their numbers are naturally lower then normal. However, the El Nino could also have thrown them off some, as I know it made the farmers have to plant later and the winter last longer. Perhaps the bees just need a little longer too.

benkt · « **Reply #3 on:** June 29, 2016, 08:11:47 am »

I'm on the swarm list for our local beekeepers society and I've had three swarm call outs so far this year - would usually expect to have done around 10 by now.

henchard · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2016, 01:13:39 pm »

Also virtually no butterflies around this year, in fact insect populations seem decimated around us.

Caroline1 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 29, 2016, 01:30:42 pm »

Agree, doesn't appear to be a great year for bees!

philcaegrug · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2016, 09:47:55 pm »

We've had a few dead ones in the house which hasn't happened before.

cloddopper · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2016, 11:07:47 pm »

Nature has made June the wettest month on record here apparently & I'm not too far from WBF.
It was well into June before we started to see flowers that would normally be in bloom in mid April so the bees will be about a month behings times . this cold work out well for should July suddenly get warmer there will be some heady days of nectar flows & grass pollen production .

I've only seen two cabbage whites this year and that was in April , of that I'm not complaining as it's saved me a fortune in lost crops and insecticide sprays to get rid of caterpillars .
In the last five years most of my Brassica have ended up like green lace curtains over a long week end of being away .

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #8 on:** July 02, 2016, 11:26:12 pm »

the roses here on the climbing rose bush took their time, but the comfrey is out and honeysuckle. Definately lower bee numbers here, I remember a few summers ago couldn't move for honey bees and other bees foraging, could it be verroa or something else?

cloddopper · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2016, 12:39:40 am »

The last two weeks of June used to be known in beekeeping as " The June Gap "
This was because come July there was always a massive flourish of flowers , increase of different pollens available as well as ideal weather for nectar flows .

My comfrey is now spent flower wise , time for a big hair cut and the cuttings taken off to compost heap , the lupins have also started to run to seeds so they will get cut back as well. The rest of the flowers are now really coming into bloom , today we saw a lot of bees so hopefully you'll all be buzzing fairly soon .