Honey Bee Population

[Uncle Bob]

I have several acres of land behind the house...6 or 7 of which I keep cut with the tractor. Within this area there are many large patches of dutch clover (Honey Bee Paradise) I just got through walking all over the area...for the second time this weekend....I have not seen ONE Honey Bee! I have seen the bee population up some years and down in others...but never like this!


I was wondering....What does the Honey Bee population looks like in your area???

[suziquzie]

We are having the same trouble at this end of the Mississippi also UB, for the last 2-3 years.

[GotGarlic]

Have you heard about Colony Collapse Disorder? Lots of theories, but no real answers yet.

ARS : Questions and Answers: Colony Collapse Disorder

[Constance]

I've never seen a lot of honeybees on our property, but I figured it was because we had so many bumble bees. They used to dive bomb me when I was working in my flower beds...LOL! I've always had good karma with bees, though, and never been stung except for once, when I got one caught in my flip flop.
Bees are in trouble in this country, though, not just from the mite accidentally introduced here in the 80's, but also from something called "colony collapse", where the bees just seem to get lost. The U of I is doing a lot of research on that.

[pacanis]

It's too cold up here for honey bees yet

[bethzaring]

I haven't paid any attention this year UB. All I know is that when the flowering crab apple trees were in bloom, the noise was deafening. Something was working those trees, but being a bit sensitive to bee stings, I usually give those trees a wide birth when in flower. I'll go check the ground mint in the garden, but the rain may be keeping them indoors

[Jeff G.]

CCD is a current problem with the European Honey bee. It has happened before, it will happen again.

A little research says the European honey bee is actually an invasive species here in the North America. They were brought over from Europe and spread once here.

[VeraBlue]

The azaleas and my cherry blossom tree are notorious for attracting bumble bees....and I've only seen a couple this year. The wasps, on the other hand, seem to be doing just fine.

[jennyema]

I think this is a very serious problem.

[Uncle Bob]

Well...I just got off the phone with a Bee Keeper acquaintance of my mine, and he assured me there was not a problem with bees in my area...No CCD etc. In fact he reminded me of two "bee yards" within 1/2 mile of my house...I knew about one, but not the other as he just put it in last year...a total of 80 hives, so it seems they just don't like my clover right now He sells Queens, and "packages" (small hives) and ships them all over the US, and overseas as well. He used to extract honey, but says he makes more money selling the bees rather than the honey. As for CCD he said it is a nationwide problem, but nothing to panic about....right now.