Where are all the bees?
Discussion
I live in Solihull in the West Midlands.
I love the scent of Lavender, so have a fair number of plants.
They are all flowering now but there is no sign of any bees.
In previous years the plants have been buzzing with hundreds of the little chaps, but now - not a one.
Has it just been too cold and wet this year or there are more sinister reasons afoot? Pesticides, predators, disease?
I love the scent of Lavender, so have a fair number of plants.
They are all flowering now but there is no sign of any bees.
In previous years the plants have been buzzing with hundreds of the little chaps, but now - not a one.
Has it just been too cold and wet this year or there are more sinister reasons afoot? Pesticides, predators, disease?
Bees tend to only come out to the flowers when it’s warm enough, which it currently isn’t.
This guy knows his onions and has done a video on the subject..
https://youtu.be/Io96wApYgRQ?si=_ZLtZiUcEgFkzKum
This guy knows his onions and has done a video on the subject..
https://youtu.be/Io96wApYgRQ?si=_ZLtZiUcEgFkzKum
Rich Boy Spanner said:
I used to get lots, to the point where they were annoying. This year I have seen about 3, and one of those appears to be dead or nearly dead as it is just sat on driveway.
I have revived a struggling bee by gently placing it on a plate next to a small pool of honey - it seemed happy enough to consume some and then fly off, which was cool 
dirky dirk said:
i said this the other week,
remember the long car journies your car was covered in flies you dont get that anymore
Because they're all over my white golf! Not the normal big flies/moths etc, but plenty of smaller insects.remember the long car journies your car was covered in flies you dont get that anymore
Bees are down here in sunny Cheshire as well, but they're still visiting the lupins and foxgloves.
I follow The Bumblebee conservation trust on Instagram, I'm pretty certain it was them who put up a little story saying it's normal for there to be a lull in the number of bees this time of year as we've had the queens out looking for somewhere to call home but haven't had time for the workers to emerge yet.
Certainly doesn't feel normal though - the clover is out on my lawn and normally there are loads of bees on it but only one or two at the moment, and that's when it's sunny.
Flies seem to be doing well this year - first time in a few years that I've had to clean my motorbike visor after a ride!
Certainly doesn't feel normal though - the clover is out on my lawn and normally there are loads of bees on it but only one or two at the moment, and that's when it's sunny.
Flies seem to be doing well this year - first time in a few years that I've had to clean my motorbike visor after a ride!
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