We had a very mild winter this year. It seems like you would see tons of beneficial insects out but,unlike last year I have seen very few. Here in kansas we had a brutally hot summer last year with 2 months straight of 105 degree + weather. That in turn killed most of the Glechoma that the bombus adored. Last year as my purple milkweed was just emerging from the ground it was covered with monarch eggs,I was concerned that they would strip it before it could bloom. It is now mid May and my milkweed is two feet tall ready too bloom, thanks to a 3 week head- start because of the mild winter, and I have not seen one monarch in sight! The redbud bloomed a month early way before the bumblebees could get to it. My yard is lifeless right now except for the occasional yellow sulfur. Of course we never you pesticides as we have planted a front yard tall grass prairie so I know thats not it. I wonder if the off bloom season has interupted the pollinators cycle. Sorry if this is the wrong forum for these questions. Thanks for any input!
Where are my pollinators?!!
We had that bad drought last year, too, followed by a lovely normal spring this year. I, too, have plenty of prairie native grass and flowers, but not many bees. (There seem to be plenty of butterflies and moths, although possibly not the same mix of species I'm used to seeing.)
I imagine it will rebalance by next year...
We have had the craziest weather! Have tons of bees & butterflys all over, wish I could send you both some!!!