Bees

peterpies

My Dahlias last year attracted lots of bees. The tubers was stored and replanted this year. They produce lots of flowers but are not attracting any bees.

What's causing this?

blown_dry

I've seen gardeners in the UK complaining that there are no bees this year. Could be a regional issue that could affect North America as well. Maybe they will show up later in the season. I see fewer and fewer pollinators every year. 🙁

Dahlia53

I grow my garden for pollinators, particularly wild bumblebees and there are almost none. Others are reporting similar. Farmers reporting no fruit set, no squash developing in the vines. Some gardens in the islands have tons of bees. Not just bumbles affected, also lacewings, hoverflies, moths, flies, and other pollinators. Worrisome. I have a lot of late summer to early fall flowers so i am hoping the bee populations recover. I'm not fond of farmed European honeybees because they push out the native bees. I miss the hum that was always such a part of the garden.

Krista

Dahlia53 I’ve seen bumble bees in Seattle this year floating through my grown out asparagus fronds. They look ethereal, lazily buzzing through the lacy foliage. They’ve been crawling all over the one lavender, and the one echinacea plant too which has been nice to see. I’ll try to encourage them to head your way for a visit.

BackyardBouquets_17

I hope they come back for you because that’s an enjoyable sound in the garden! The thing is how many home owners unknowingly kill pollinators with the use of a systemic ( say something like Sevin insect killer that lasts 3 months) not sure if they’d actually call that a systemic but basically the same thing. Anything that is going to control pests for an extended period of time will also kill pollinators on contact as well. Maybe it’s just our area but I was shocked that so many people are not even aware it will also kill pollinators and good insects. They r simply thinking a once and done application to control this pest or bad bugs.
If people around you constantly use these products they will have a much harder time making a comeback since bees visit flowers within a 2 mile radius.

Teddahlia

Since we never, ever spray any insecticide (chemical or organic as organic kills insects too) on our gardens, we always have lots and lots of bumblebees. I believe they overwinter in underground nests and if you inadvertently destroy them.....

calico20hill

A good reason for a 'no-till" garden. My raised beds are "No till". SO are my grow-bags.

Dahlia53

update; there are some bees now and other pollinators like hoverflies, but not nearly what there should be for this time of year. At least a little of the 'hum' is back - makes me happy to hear them.

I use no pesticides or herbicides except for slug bait and this year, due to my car being broken down for 6 weeks and my having to walk to the garden, I did 'no weed' too, haha.

I am going to research winter needs for the queens and nests of various pollinators - maybe my garden landlady and her partner are cleaning things up a bit TOO much on the edge of the seasonal wetland understory - bumblebees like to nest in ground debris, such as leaves and brush piles. If I find anything out, I'll post it here.

@calico20hill, I already use 'no-till, and have, ever since I started growing dahlias in '96. The only holes I dig are to place a plant or a tuber, or dig some garlic or something. What size grow bags do you like for the dahlias? thanks. I was offered a few, mostly 2 gallon.

@BackyardBouquets_17 - thanks for the response. I was wondering who was spraying what nearby. I had read that bumblebees actually forage twice as far as honeybees - up to 8 miles a day! I just ordered a few books on wild bees. The subject fascinates me and is near to my heart.