Wild bee decline 'catastrophic'

[MKG]

I've been trying to find out about feeding them sugar syrup, but information seems to be sparse. Anyone know anything?

[Ellendra]

I'd read that refined sugar was one possible culprit, so I fed mine with watered-down honey while getting them established. It didn't work, one hive got hit by CCD withing the first week (I'm thinking they already had it when they came in), and the other didn't make it through the winter

I have a hive full of dead bees to clean out

[eek]

My neighbor has hives. He says refined sugar is a major no-no. He leaves the supers (?) out and lets the bees clean up what's left after he has harvested what he uses. Maybe an organic molases, as it is not overly processed? Just a thought.

[MKG]

I was thinking more about bumble bees rather than honey bees. Some recent research has suggested that feeding them sugar syrup raises their thoracic temperature and respiration rate, making them forage more, thereby increasing pollination rates, thereby improving the bumble bee environment. On the other hand, it doesn't do honey any good if the honey bees happen to find the syrup - but there aren't too many of those around. Quandaries, quandaries.

[johnhcrf]

After Sunday's first hot day of the year here, the bees have started buzzing around the garden, a south facing suntrap. The only flowers are daisies and dandelions and a few other wild, nameless, types. I am looking for a june/july flower bush and will visit a garden nursery today.

[johnhcrf]

Trip to Dobbie's in Hawkhead, Paisley, was a learning experience. Firstly, know your plants thoroughly by researching broadly. Second, they sell most plants in flower, therefore for june/july flowering visit the nursery then. I have had the same Rose of Sharon bush(es) for 40 years, finding an earlier flowering type will take a bit of effort.

[Bluemoon]

I saw the first bumble bee of the year on 23rd Feb, I didn't see another one until last week. In fact I didn't really see many insects at all and looking at my plum tree I'm not certain that it has been pollinated. There are a few bees about now busily pollinating the soft fruit, but I'm sure there aren't as many as usual. Also I normally have plenty of ladybirds by now, but have only seen one and that looked sickly, just sat for hours on a compost-bin lid. Having said that there aren't any aphids about either yet, so perhaps they'll synchronize their emergence with the appearance of the pests.

[johnhcrf]

The weather is still too unsettled for the insects to thrive. When the good weather starts you will see hopefully many in your gardens.

[ina]

Yet another problem bees have to cope with:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/ger ... 56,00.html

Unexplained Mass Die-Off Hits German Hives

Bees in the German state of Baden-Württemburg are dying by the hundreds of thousands. In some places more than half of hives have perished. Government officials say the causes are unclear -- but beekeepers are blaming new pesticides.


OK, that's in Germany - but if the culprit really is that new(ish) pesticide, then it won't be long and it'll create problems here, too.

[Flo]

I'm still getting the allotment into shape for wildlife such as bees. We are bird friendly but the flowering plants are few and far between at the moment. Sage, lavender and rosemary are all in place and second year with apples, crab apple, pear and plum new this year.

I'm getting flowering plants into place for the future but I'm only 15 months onto the plot and with a February start last year, it's been hard graft to get things into any form of order - daft rules here include lets in spring instead of autumn so you get nothing done in the planning stage first year.

The growing season here is a bit behind by about two or three weeks so there is not a lot on offer yet. But there seems to be a lack of bees of any sort around at the moment. it may or may not be the season. No idea.

[johnhcrf]

The garden is starting to wake up in the recent summery weather. There have been several bumble bees of various sizes and I am hopeful of a good number when the flowers bloom. Bees from hives may well be absent due to the disease afflicting them.

[Mal]

I have seen barely any bumblebees so far this year, it's a real worry. My garden is still too young to have much in the way of flowers (it was all lawn as of about 2 months ago). When I walk around town, it's so quiet - there are bushes covered with flowers and no bees around them, it's quite upsetting if you're a bee-fan.

I do however have a list of plants that I'm planning on planting which are supposed to be bee friendly - I spent a long time on this wildlife gardening site http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/home.php going through all 90-odd pages looking for plants which:

a) Bees liked
b) wouldn't look too much like weeds to Mrs Mal

I then spent another age cross-referencing to http://www.crocus.co.uk to get hardiness, flowering seasons, colours and varieties, and then putting them all in to a spreadsheet. That's how interesting I am! Even after all that, the proof will be in the pudding and it will be a couple of years before the garden is truly up and running.

Anyway, if anyone would like it, I can send you the spreadsheet that resulted.

Finally, I'd echo whoever said avoid the double flowers - having a hard time persuading Mrs Mal of this one but they're difficult to get to for the bees and generally had the nectar bred out of them in the quest for 'unusualness'.

[marshlander]

I have two, very large and ancient Laburnham tress in full bloom at the moment and for the last few days, they've been full of bumble bees.

[ina]

Yet another problem bees have to cope with:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/ger ... 56,00.html

Unexplained Mass Die-Off Hits German Hives

Bees in the German state of Baden-Württemburg are dying by the hundreds of thousands. In some places more than half of hives have perished. Government officials say the causes are unclear -- but beekeepers are blaming new pesticides.


OK, that's in Germany - but if the culprit really is that new(ish) pesticide, then it won't be long and it'll create problems here, too.

As a follow-up to this, Shirlz posted this on NEEPS: they have now banned this group of pesticides in Germany...

http://neeps.myfreeforum.org/sutra34296.php#34296

[John Headstrong]

good article

also My OH pointed out that when we drive these days there are hardy any squashed bugs on the windscreen, I have just gone out and counted there was about 10, I remember driving and cleaning the windscreen whenever we stoped because of the amount of bugs. and it is not because cars are more aerodynamic because I have a van that is basicly brick shaped.

we are so doomed