Bees ... where are they?

*MF*

Anyone else noticing an absence of bees and wasps?

I am on the west coast of Scotland, rural area near the sea, and have noticed a near complete absence of either bees or wasps particularly on cotoneaster and escallonia which have always been the feeding ground for loads of bees and wasps in my garden.

Where are they?

susieb

They are in Norfolk, loads on my ceanothus!

KAAT_LADY

I am in south yorkshire and my cotoneaster is buzzing as is everything else

katiel

Was just feeling very chuffed about how many bees we have this year (Surrey). Seem to be particularly keen on foxgloves, Californian poppies and hardy germaniums.

Purple_Sparkles

I've hardly had any in my garden this year - I'm in the West Midlands. I did hear that there was some nasty virus that was killing the bees and it's really worrying beekeepers in the UK as they have no idea how to help the bees (personally I think it's to do with pollution) I've also heard that they are having the same problem in Germany.

I'm sure there was something on the news a few weeks ago about it.

squiggle37

I got a couple in my garden buzzing around my pansies, not as many as last year im in east mids, not seen any wasps yet tho.

Gardening-girl_5

I've got loads of them in my garden here in Leicester, East midlands. They are buzzing quite happily around the Ceonothus, hardy geraniums (bush type ones) and the honeysuckle to name a few!

*MF*

It was remembering those reports, and then really noticing that I could count the number of bees I've seen - quite literally on the fingers of both hands - that prompted my post ... it is really noticeable here.

Extract from Guardian in March:

Beekeepers have warned that most of the country's honey bees could be wiped out by disease in 10 years unless an urgent research programme is launched to find new treatments and drugs.

Full article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/mar/09/animalbehaviour

Horace

There's lots of wasps in my mates house:eek: Also I have seen loads of bees and wasps and I too live in the West Midlands.

olly300

Purple_Sparkles is quite right I was told of the problem last year which is why I've not dug up the cotoneaster in my garden which I hate and the bumblebees love.

The report below is from the Bumblebee trust on the bbc site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7360832.stm

I suggest if any gardener has a shortage of bees in their garden they should go out of there way to make a nest for them.

rubiales

Loads of bees here on the South Coast working diligently on my sage and chives.

Only seen 1 wasp so far but will be loads when my Victoria plums are ripe (as always!)