I've been out in my garden this year and noticed that there aren't as many bees around as I expected. Back in early spring, I spotted a couple, but now that we're in May, it's feeling pretty barren. I'm not sure if a nearby hive was destroyed or if it's just the crazy Virginia weather affecting them.
4 Answers
I hear you! I'm also feeling the lack of pollinators this year. The wet spring may have played a role in that for sure.
The carpenter bees are definitely around—they're causing quite a mess with my barn. On a serious note, there was a significant honeybee die-off over the winter, and it has the experts worried.
I’ve noticed my plum tree isn’t usually fruitful, but this year it’s particularly sparse. I haven’t seen my usual honeybees but tons of bumblebees! They seem to be staying low, which might explain why my fruit isn’t setting well.
I’m in Hanover, and it seems fine here! The native bees and European honeybees are buzzing around. I’ve planted a lot of native flowers and bushes, plus some cover crops like phacelia, mustard, and vetch, which really attract the pollinators.