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NJCher

(41,175 posts)
Tue May 20, 2025, 07:02 PM May 2025

How's the Bee Situation in Your Garden?

There was a post at DU that told of a very bad situation with the bees this year. The article was at CBS News.

I had cornflower (Bachelor's Button, pictured below) coming up and thought it would be great for the bees. I even looked it up and found that it did, indeed. The trouble is that I have full beds of beautiful, bright purple-blue cornflower and I've seen no bees. I am significantly troubled. I am 7a or b, so maybe it's a bit early?

Are you seeing bees on your spring flowers?

15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
How's the Bee Situation in Your Garden? (Original Post) NJCher May 2025 OP
Very few bees in upstate NY. amerikat May 2025 #1
Northern Michigan... MiHale May 2025 #2
I'm finding dead bumblebees. It worries me. littlemissmartypants May 2025 #3
Plenty of carpenter bees Keepthesoulalive May 2025 #4
I have lots of clover and buttercups in my yard and lots of honey bees. 2MuchNoise May 2025 #5
Still too early where I'm at (In STLMO). Don't really have too many flowers blooming yet, or a very few...will keep SWBTATTReg May 2025 #6
Not good here (New Mexico) RoadRunner May 2025 #7
Very few bees in New Orleans. zuul May 2025 #8
SE Arizona Kali May 2025 #9
According to my wife, she is seeing bees on her flowers. Emile May 2025 #10
I have carpenters and other bees. Wasps and some other flying pollinators. 58Sunliner May 2025 #11
A bit early for bees here Figarosmom May 2025 #12
Bees showing up in Lexington, KY get the red out May 2025 #13
I am finally seeing a few NJCher May 2025 #14
Plenty in Detroit bif Jun 10 #15

amerikat

(5,138 posts)
1. Very few bees in upstate NY.
Tue May 20, 2025, 07:06 PM
May 2025

There are 2 sets of hives about a quarter mile from my garden. Had millions of dandelions but few bees.

MiHale

(12,089 posts)
2. Northern Michigan...
Tue May 20, 2025, 07:42 PM
May 2025

Lots of early honey bees..but I have a dandelion paradise. Ground bees are abundant. Bumblebees come a little later…we had plenty last year. Also have little tiny bees, probably less than an inch long looking like they are doing the same activity as honey bees.
Lots of apple blossoms around that helps plus the pines are pollinating

littlemissmartypants

(29,156 posts)
3. I'm finding dead bumblebees. It worries me.
Tue May 20, 2025, 08:12 PM
May 2025

I have several enormous azaleas and the bees are abundant as long as they're blooming. But now, I only have a couple of hybrid plants that are still blooming.

The gardenias have started blooming now so I hope the bees will stick around a little while longer.

I'm hoping to add more bee and dragonfly friendly plants soon after I meet with my landscaper next week. Dragonflies are supposed to eat mosquitoes.

The cornflower shot is really lovely, Cher!

❤️

Keepthesoulalive

(1,680 posts)
4. Plenty of carpenter bees
Tue May 20, 2025, 08:14 PM
May 2025

I try to have flowering bushes or trees for 8 months. Lilacs , Rhododendrons, Roses, veggie flowers and Mexican sunflowers. A diverse system brings in many different types of pollinators. My experience, yours may differ.

2MuchNoise

(422 posts)
5. I have lots of clover and buttercups in my yard and lots of honey bees.
Tue May 20, 2025, 08:33 PM
May 2025

I'm in central Maryland.

SWBTATTReg

(25,628 posts)
6. Still too early where I'm at (In STLMO). Don't really have too many flowers blooming yet, or a very few...will keep
Tue May 20, 2025, 08:38 PM
May 2025

an eye out for...

zuul

(14,697 posts)
8. Very few bees in New Orleans.
Wed May 21, 2025, 07:09 AM
May 2025

I have lots of flowering plants that attracted lots of bees years ago. I see very few bees these days. It’s scary.

Kali

(56,375 posts)
9. SE Arizona
Wed May 21, 2025, 09:23 AM
May 2025

Had thousands at the little plastic pond I keep out for them a month or so ago.

58Sunliner

(5,986 posts)
11. I have carpenters and other bees. Wasps and some other flying pollinators.
Thu May 22, 2025, 09:28 PM
May 2025

They pollinated the fruit trees, blueberries, flowers and now my vegetable garden. They love my apricot tree.

Figarosmom

(8,035 posts)
12. A bit early for bees here
Fri May 23, 2025, 03:05 AM
May 2025

But the butterflies have been full. A lot more than I've seen in years.

get the red out

(13,844 posts)
13. Bees showing up in Lexington, KY
Tue May 27, 2025, 03:27 PM
May 2025

I have clover in my yard and I am starting to see them. I know of two local beekeepers on the outskirts of town (they sell honey in our area and I checked where they are on google maps), so I think my neighborhood Is a good stop for them. I have a veggie garden in back but almost everyone in my neighborhood is into flowers.

NJCher

(41,175 posts)
14. I am finally seeing a few
Tue May 27, 2025, 04:19 PM
May 2025

I tried to take a pic but they were so few and far between that I couldn't catch a bee on a flower.

However, I saw three.

That's better than -0-.

Keeping the lights on for you little bees!

I'm hoping that next time I am around that bed there will be more.

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