Bad year for bees?

Supercell

Anyone else noticing how few bees there is in their gardens this year?

We have a lot of flowers in our garden that normally the bees go mad for.
This year however , while there is a few around they are comparatively few and far between. This time last year we had to close the windows at the back of the house to keep them out but not this year bar the occasional straggler.

I did notice a lot of bees around even in December and January , I wonder if the mild winter caused them into coming out of hibernation too early leading to starvation as there was noting around?

On a sidebar are neonicotinoids banned in Ireland, was reading that these are the major cause of bee deaths worldwide?

lazybones32

Bees and butterflies. I saw quite a few bees earlier in the year but since then, it is only dead bees I see...and not a lot of them either.

Outkast_IRE

Lots of bees around by me this year, especially bumble bees.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Very few bees out this way so far this year but a noticeable increase in butterflies.

vistafinder

Very few around here aswell. Some bumble bee around the place alright.
I saw a stunning documentary by the bbc last week Hive Alive you can realy see how susceptible they are.
I have watched it 3 times already. Its a 2 part documentary. I cant find the second part yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gGxXseCTD8

MOTM

Loads of bumblebees only here. No butterflies.

evolving_doors

Didn't notice any change (city garden here) for bees/wasps but a good few bumbles.
Loads of ladybirds in may/ june , dunno where they all went now though.
Butterflies on the go yesterday along with a kamakazi dragonfly hanging around.

Zulu

We had tonnes of bees end of may/june. One tree sounded like a hive when you stood under it. But you are right op, this month they are all gone

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

I wonder is the increase in butterflies I'm seeing attributed to the "back to meadows" scheme? i.e. the co co don't have the cash to cut the hedges.

magicbastarder

Zulu wrote: »

We had tonnes of bees end of may/june. One tree sounded like a hive when you stood under it. But you are right op, this month they are all gone

is it not around this time of the year that the hives start to die off anyway? my wife spotting an extremely large bee the other day, which was presumably a new queen heading off to find somewhere to hibernate.

Zulu

No idea! I'm bee-ignorant.

prospect

I think the Agricultural 'REPS' scheme is now requiring for farms to have areas set as wildflower meadows to encourage/accommodate the bee population.

ch20

Near my house I have seen increase. In bees and wasps hives since last year.

jameshayes

I have 2 big lavendar bushes out the back, last year the bee's were going mental for them... you'd honestly count 30 bees on each plant, this year there are hardly any bees on it!

irelandspurs

I seem to have loads, I've a solitary bee using my insect hotel to lay its eggs in and filling the holes with mud.
Lots of Butterflies also.

Supercell

I'm pleasantly surprised that they are on the up in some locations, must be local here. Hopefully next year there will be loads again. Really hope its not some farmer nearby spraying a neonicotinoid based insecticide and wiping them out.

lazybones32

Have seen a few bees today - no bumblebees though - so it might be something to do with the sunshine? The last few days were very warm but cloudy and today is the first 'raw' sun we've seen in a bit. Saw one butterfly too...

Oh man, I'm a geek...

rje66

irelandspurs wrote: »

I seem to have loads, I've a solitary bee using my insect hotel to lay its eggs in and filling the holes with mud.
Lots of Butterflies also.

Where do you get the insect hotel?

rje66

irelandspurs wrote: »

I seem to have loads, I've a solitary bee using my insect hotel to lay its eggs in and filling the holes with mud.
Lots of Butterflies also.

Where do you get the insect hotel?

rje66

irelandspurs wrote: »

I seem to have loads, I've a solitary bee using my insect hotel to lay its eggs in and filling the holes with mud.
Lots of Butterflies also.

Where do you get the insect hotel?

Red Hare

here is a place where you can purchase insect hotels; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fallen-Fruits-WA-12-Insect-Hotel/dp/B0037SEN64
or you can make them yourself by stacking wood and leaving it alone so that the insects make the wood stack their home.

irelandspurs

Got them off ebay but Aldi are selling them this sunday.