Bumblebees - and few Honey Bees

[Kim_NC]

Thank Heavens we have an abundnace of small bumblebees! They're pollinating everything we - garden, fruit trees, etc.

I can practically count on my hands the number of honey bees we've seen in the gardens. Very few! I find this alarming - even though I know there have been warnings of the honey bee populations declining and in danger for quite some time.

There are so few honey bees in the area this season that DH & I are actually considering raising a hive to two next year.

Anybody else this short on honey bees?

[FalconDance]

Haven't seen any honey bees all season so far, but we do have a colony of mason bees now. Maybe they chased the honey bees away? Suposedly the carpenter (mason) bees are actually better polinators - and our garden is certainly uber-healthy! - but I'd still rather have the added benefit of honey. We've talked about 'raising' bees, but it's still on the Things To Do list.

[cowboy joe]

Lots of bumbles around here too this year. Thank goodness for small favors as our honeybee colony 'disappeared' sometime between March and April. I've seen a few honeybees here and there but not like in years past.

[flowergurl]

I have a large anise hyssop planted in my rose bed and the honey bees just LOVE it. I see them swarming all over the flowers daily.
The plant is very easy to grow from seed.
Try growing more herbs and flowers that bees love to lure them into your area. Sunflowers are another wonderful bee attracting plant and so easy to grow.