Wild bee decline 'catastrophic'

[John Headstrong]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/hig ... 360832.stm

I have seen quite a few in my garden so far this year, they have found the things that are flowering now, I just hope I have enough flowers to keep them happy.

[MKG]

Given goverment attitudes, I'm surprised that we haven't licensed bee hunting but limited the catch to a mere 30% (to conserve stocks). But even diehard veggie growers can help - peas and beans flower, too.

[marshlander]

Given goverment attitudes, I'm surprised that we haven't licensed bee hunting but limited the catch to a mere 30% (to conserve stocks). But even diehard veggie growers can help - peas and beans flower, too.

Sorry, don't get it - Having an Alice Tinker moment!

Do wild bees get verroa mites like honey bees or is pesticides that are responsible for their decline?

[MKG]

Sorry Marshlander - I sometimes get into opaque mode. I was referring to the government reducing the allowable cod catch to a level ABOVE what all the best advice said was the MINIMUM reduction which would have any effect at all on cod population. Nothing to do with bees, I know, but my mind wanders sometimes, doesn't it Nurse?

[hamster]

Someone I spoke to recently said that the trend towards simpler flowers had meant there was less food for them and recommended planting more complex flowers. I can't for the life of me remember the names of any of the ones she recommended, though. Nor did I really understand what she meant.
Can the more knowledgable amongst us suggest some flowers that bees might like?

[johnhcrf]

I think flower bushes are the best. St.John's wort, I think I have that one, flowers for 6 week from July. I dug 1/3 up an replanted it out front as well. The bees are at the flowers all day. Any other examples?

John.

[eek]

I have a constant supply of bees at the rosemary bush. They also seem to like the Sweet Williams and holly bushes. It's dry and hot here so that may make a difference.

[witch way?]

PLANTS FOR BEES:

TREES: Apples, Hazel, Horse Chestnut, LIMES, Whitebeams, Blackthorne, Willows.
SHRUBS: Berberis, Buddlies, Contoneasters, Escallionias, Garry, Pyracanthus, Loniceras, Hebes, Viburnum
ANNUALS; Allsum, Balsam, Calendula, Candytuft, China Asters, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cornflower, Cosmos, Escholtzia, French Marigold, (tagetea) Gallardia, Godetia, Gypsophylia, Lavatera, Limanthes, Mignoetts, Nasturtium, Nigwlla, Pheasants Eye (Adonis), Poppy, Saponaria, Scabious, Satice, Sweet Sultan, Sunflower, Zinnia.
BIENNIALS; Campanuals, Evg Primrose, Forget me not, Hollyhock (single)
PERENNIALS: Allysum, Anchusa, Arabis, Aubretia, Campanulas, Echinops, Catmint, Centaurea, Eryngium, ERigon, Fuschia, Gallardia, Geranium, Geum Golden Ros, Gypsophilia, Helleborus, Lavatera, Lavenda, Michaelmas Daisy, Paeony (single) Perovskia (Russian Sage) Rudbekia, Salvia Superba, Scabious, Scrophulariia, (figwort) Sidalcea, Sedum, Veronica.
VEGGIES; Asparagus, Broad bean, Marrows, Pumpkins
HERBS; Mind, sage, thyme, marjoram, lavendulas, rosemary
FRUIT: Apples, Cherries, Plums, Pear, Gooseberry, Currants, Strawberries and Raspberries.
BULBS CORMS & TUBERS: Crocus, colchicum (autumn crocus) Winter Aconite, Fritillaria, Snowdrop, Hyacinth, Grape Hyacinth, Narcissus and Tulips.

Heathers of course

Always try to choose single flowers not double as they cant get down to the pollen in doubles.

Generally choose big open flowers like ox eye daisy for easy access.

The bees say thankyou WW.

[johnhcrf]

Great Answer. What about flowering month, duration. North/South facing
I would like nectar all summer.

John.

[witch way?]

Great Answer. What about flowering month, duration. North/South facing
I would like nectar all summer.

John.

Your garden catalogues will give you flowering months and growing requirements of plants etc., but if you REALLY want to get into it. Martin Crawford's 'Bee Plants' published by The Agroforestry Research Trust gives specifics on nectar, pollen, honeydew, flowering periods, moisture & pH requirements, growing zones etc. w.

[johnhcrf]

Thanks for that. Hopefully others will folow suit. That bush I have has been there for 40 years plus.

John.

[Shirley]

We get loads of bees on the clover in the grass and the dandelions too. The chives were visited a lot by bees and hoverflies last year, as was the rocket.

[Shirley]

oh... and the borage is good too...

found this useful link - http://www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk/plan ... eepers.htm

[MKG]

We actually haven't noticed any fall in bumble bee numbers as far as the garden is concerned - they seem as plentiful as ever, but that may be simply because there's almost always something flowering in there. Honey bees, though, have virtually disappeared. Maybe Nottinghamshire bumbles are just 'ard.

[Annpan]

Last summer we had 2 bumble bees buzzing us every now and then, they kept stopping on the wall by the back door... I wondered if they were trying to find home.

This year, so far, we have one big fatty buzzing, but he/she is struggling to find flowers... again he is near the house but the flowers that we have out at the moment (daffodils and snowdrops) are at the back of the garden (80 metres away) He doesn't seem to travel more than 15m from the house. He isn't interested in the daisies so I have left the small flowering weeds so that he can have something.

Hopefully next year there will be more flowers... but it is still very early in the season here... so he'll just need to wait, or go hungry