Where are all the bees?

[Harping]

Is anyone else noticing a worrying lack of bees? Usually the clover on our grass is full of bees

We had a swarm in our garden yesterday and it was FASCINATING! So quick! Came and went.

Ie they didn’t stay in our garden but suddenly air thick with what must have been tens of thousands all swirling in a huge cloud, they must have been off to a new home.

bloody loads here in the south east, I keep having to try to guide them out the house. Neighbours had a massive swarm, they moved with the queen, but clearly not far.

No. There are millions of wild ones, the ones in our garden are.

I was walking around my local cemetery today which hadn't been mowed for a very long time. Was lovely to see all the wild flowers but I also noticed there were no bees...😞

I must have them all. They are all over the place where I live. I do know as my 4 year old is scared of them so nursery runs are SO MUCH FUN

In Scotland and also noticed hardly any this year.

Sodding massive ones here in South Norfolk, banging on the windows trying to get in

Too dry for nectar production so no reward for the bees.

Also concerning is I haven't seen ANY ladybirds this year. Has anyone else?

NW London here. Very few flying insects at all, very noticeable especially in allotment. Really worried about birds etc. I've seen some speculation saying it's linked to the very high temperatures last summer.

Somewhere near my house! I'm in the garden and can hear a swarm buzzing very loudly 🐝

All in my tree a few weeks ago, was lovely to see.

on my local facebook page there have been numerous posts of photos of large swarms and requests for bee keepers to move them on.

"Don't often see honeybees, but they're basically all domesticated aren't they? So you'll only see them if you have beehives nearby."

@EnthENd honey bees will fly up to a three mile radius to forage. Most people have hives kept within three miles of them - whether they realise it or not :)

We have lots of bees and loads of butterflies. Today I've seen several blue butterflies in my garden and they're absolutely gorgeous!

We have so many bees that when we step outside we can hear a distant buzzing almost like a motorway.

There's so many 😍 they keep flying into the windows with a hefty bonk

We have honeybees too - they love all our purple flowers and shrubs.

There’s millions round me. 2 full on swarms in the tree outside the front of our house.

I saw the cutest baby bumblebee yesterday, learning to fly in our garden. S/he went up and down, like a novice helicopter pilot, headbutted the roses a few times, then finally got enough height to clear the fence and off they buzzed

Yes I have. I notice because dd loves them and we point them out

East mids here and barely ever see a bee or a butterfly here in my garden. Nothing new though.

I called the local beekeepers (South East) to remove and rehome a swarm and the guy was saying the weather has been hard on bees this year and there aren't as many as usual. I urge anyone who sees a swarm to call their local beekeepers, as the swarm could die if they don't move off quickly and find themselves a new home. They're always happy to come out and fascinating to watch them do their stuff.

Honeybee keepers had a real issue keeping hives going due to the mild temperatures in winter, meaning the bees were active when they should have been hibernating, then in turn that meant the keepers had to top-up their feeds as they'd eaten through their stocks meant to last them the whole season. They were late hibernating anyway and then the mild weather screwed up their schedules. Bumblebees seem to be doing really well here (SW England). We have an insane lack of moths here though.

We've had three swarms (1 bumble and 2 honey bee) in the last three weeks in our cul-de-sac.

They’re on the brambles in my neighbours garden
he never cuts his grass so it’s all returned to the wild
its insect / bee/ butterfly paradise next door