Has anybody noticed the amount of bees around lately?

[MUAD_DIB]

I haven't noticed that many in Massachusetts.

[Forkboy]

1. In Mass and wondering the same.

Normally by June they invade my place. I don't have screens on a couple of windows and bees are a yearly visitor...until this year. Haven't seen any bee outside of a single wasp the other day and a couple of regular bumblebees (who were very tiny as opposed to the giant suckers I normally see). I know summer was late in coming this year around here, but I've been amazed at the lack of bees anyways.

[Lorax7844]

9. tons of bees but no butterflies this year

Been stung twice this year, both were honey bees.

Also for the medicinal chemists around, my hubby is creating a vaccine for the bees

[Lex]

2. Lots in my flower garden and veggie garden.

They especially love the lavender plants I have.

[MUAD_DIB]

5. What region are you in?

[Lex]

10. Central NC.

[dysfunctional press]

3. lots and lots around here...

i noticed at least a dozen that were on the clover as mowed over it/them this afternoon.

[JVS]

4. Didn't they die last year or so?

[MUAD_DIB]

6. Que?

[JVS]

8. A few years back people were wigging out over the bees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_collapse_disorder

[madrchsod]

7. i had a few buzzing around some flowers for the last few weeks

first i`ve seen in along time

[laundry_queen]

11. I've seen a few this year.

Not nearly as many as years past though. Lots of butterflies right now, my kids are thrilled (we don't normally get many). I'm in northern Canada.

[Brother Buzz]

12. Honey bee population in Sacramento valley, California is normal

I kept bees for years and I never stopped watching what the girls are up to. Even in the dry months, bees are making honey in the urban environments.

All the hype about colony collapse disorder is a problem dealing with managed hives with over-bred, over-stressed, wimpy bees. Feral colonies are doing great, and as soon as beekeepers discover the novel idea of dumping their crappy over manipulated gene pool factory bees out and replacing them with vigorous feral bee genes, the whole crises will pass.

[Lorax7844]

13. how bout butterflies? this year I've only seen moths

[Brother Buzz]

21. Three years ago we had an incrediable wave of painted ladies migrate through...

in numbers only Carl Sagan could pronounce. It was a sight I had never seen before nor since.
Butterfly populations are down and I've happened upon two professionals in my life that confirm the numbers are down.

I wonder if the little butterflies we do have around are really moths? Truth be told, I know very little about butterflies. I usually think of moths as nocturnal, but there is a regular population of plain little white/gray butterfly type insect that feeds on milkweed, alfalfa in bloom, and, well, weeds in general.

[Lasher]

14. Honey bees making a comeback here.

I went for several seasons without seeing a one, but last year I saw a few and this year I am seeing more.

[csziggy]

15. I just realized in the butterfly thread that I have not seen many

But maybe they don't like the milkweed that is closest to the window. The salvia that I saw lots on last year died so there could be thousands of bees in the flowers farther out that I have not seen.

[RebelOne]

16. I don't think there are too many around here in North Georgia.

I know of two people who trying to grow vegetable gardens, but the plants won't grow because there aren't any bees around to pollinate them.

[NewJeffCT]

17. I've seen plenty here in CT

though, I don't go looking for them.

[HopeHoops]

18. My yard is FULL of honey bees for the first time in YEARS!

I've also got clover everywhere and don't poison my lawn like damn near all of the other neighbors. They don't have any bees of any kind. I've got them everywhere and it makes my heart happy.

[femmocrat]

19. Nice amount of honeybees in western PA. More than previous years, it seems.

We let our clover grow too, so that attracts them. I also have a lot of blue flowers (lavender, Russian Sage, ageratum, butterfly bush) which they seem to like. They were all over the yucca when it was in bloom a couple of weeks ago.

We have lots of bumble bees, too. :)

[JitterbugPerfume]

20. I noticed more than usual on the bee balm

[tigereye]

22. my hedges are full of em...