Hi, I'm new to the forum. I'm a little unnerved by all the reports of bees dying, hive collapse, etc. I've noticed this year, for the first time since I started gardening when I was a child, that I have no green worms on my broccoli or cabbage plants. And I have only seen 2 cabbage butterfiles in my flower garden--none with the vegetables. Also, earlier in the spring there were lots of bumblebees at least, but now I see mostly wasps and hornets, very few honeybees, and even fewer bumbles. I'm an organic gardener, by the way--never use pesticides, only my fingers to kill pests, or occasionally neem or rotenone when I have severe troubles. This year I've used nothing. I garden in a small town in Kentucky, about a block from the Ohio River. Is anyone else seeing--or not seeing-- something similar in their gardens?
cabbage butterflies
I see more bumble bees than honey bees, but I do see both. I don't see the butterflies that I saw in Birmimgham, but I am not growing the host plants here in Cordele that I grew there. We might find that the weird winter weather upset the cycle somehow. Post your question in the butterfly and hummer forum. They might have some answers for you.
Beth
I have plenty of cabbage butterflies if you want some. Other insects are down tho, hard for them to migrate and find host plants in this drought. No honeybees here, because there are no beekeepers. We will probably find that the ultimate decline of honeybees is directly associated with the decline in numbers of beekeepers. Bumbles, Carpenters and other natives seem to be doing the job on the few cucurbits I can keep alive. There are just no wildflowers for butterflies right now and even the backyard gardeners are stressed by the water restrictions.
I'm working very hard on keeping wildflowers alive here for the several bee keepers in my area. I'm waiting for a swarm someday! I also realized recently that the bees need water, so I've set out muddy, stoney shallow dishes of water for the bees. They don't care for the little pond, but they love these muddy dishes and so do the butterflies.
Rain barrels are helping me keep wildflowers blooming for my friends. I also pinched back some earlier blooming plants to hold them from blooming now while plenty of other flowers are blooming for food.
GGG
hmmmmmmm come to think of it i have only seen wasps around here lately no bumble bees or honey bees at my home. we have lots and lots of dragonflies since we have a pond. one thing i have seen more of this year already is snakes yucky!
We hadn't seen honey bees at all in our new home -- until this year. Somebody in the neighborhood must've taken up beekeeping. (I also hear roosters crowing, which is delightful to hear, so I know I love this new neighbor!) Though nobody here said it, I know lots of you are aware there has been a mite infestation of honeybee hives across the nation. Wild hives of honeybees are a rare thing. Only through the good stewardship of our beekeepers are there honeybees at all -- many thanks, y'all.
We do use insecticide on the rare occasion (chiggers are hard to reconcile with grandchildren). I notice that only a week or two later we are back to normal, with bumble bees, honey bees, dragonflies, and bugs of every description. I think the moral is to use all chemicals as directed. Do the math, and read labels in detail to choose responsibly. Pesticides and herbicides both are formulated to degrade quickly if used according to directions. Just wanted to mention that.