Where are the bees

[llamadrama16]

Anyone else noticing a real lack of bees in their garden this year? Are they taking longer to wake up since it was so cold until recently? I love seeing bees in my garden and am really hoping they turn up soon!

@Jimmyneutronsforehead - rhododendron are not poisonous to bees! They have been enjoying mine for almost 30 years! They are red, pink, purple, yellow and white and bees visit them all.

Loads here. Our hives are thriving!

I've seen loads

None earlier in the year but recently seen a lot more, local FB community page has had a few people wanting bee keepers to remove swarms.
s/W england.

North Midlands here. Got quite a few here. We normally get loads through June, July, August anyway... Not always loads in May.

No; the issue is that honey from bees which have been gorging on rhododendrons is toxic to humans!

Lots In my garden. Not honey bees but I rarely see those. Full of every other type. Fewer frogs though 🐸

I placed one of those bug houses in the garden last year, I didn't ha e much hope of it being used but noticed the bamboo cakes in it all seemed to be plugged by earth now I have quite a few bees going in and out so I'm assuming it was them overwintering in there.

Come across a few struggling ones but that’s it. Planted wildflowers this year in the hope to encourage them, but all we have are wasps and hornets as usual.

Quite a few of various types here (NE Scotland). The local community garden did lose one of their hives this winter, probably due to the weather, so maybe there are fewer honey bees.

I sometimes have a little chat to the bees!!

and that they can't see red, which is why we have very few true red wild flowers. The reds and clear orange are, I think, humming bird pollinated.

You've sent me further down the rabbit hole.

So apparently in their natural habitat rhododendrons aren't poison to bees.

In fact, honey from rhododendrons in their natural habitat creates "mad honey" which can have hallucinogenic properties, however for many people it will just make them sick. It's rarely fatal to people.

In the UK, rhododendrons are poison to honeybees though, but possibly not bumblebees.

It's also debatable as to whether bees can tell the difference between flowers that do contain harmful toxins and flowers that do not.

Bees see more towards the blue-ultraviolet spectrum of light. Red just looks black to them, which indicates no pollen.

All over my pink comfrey.

Lots in my garden due to the lawnmower being broken and quite a few wildflowers springing up. I'm reluctant to cut the grass right now because I've never seen so many bees. My dp is very happy with this decision 😂

I fished one out of the toilet with my bare hands at a garden I visited recently.

I’ve had lots on my cotoneaster, love watching them.

We had loads when the apple tree was in blossom but I haven't seen any around for a couple of weeks, just the odd one or two.

Every other year we have had Buff Tailed Bumblebees nesting by the fence but haven't got them this year - I miss them, it was so lovely to have them bumbling around the garden. Hopefully they will be back next year.

Hawthorn is humming with them.

Loads in our garden. They’re loving the alliums at the moment.

I've noticed loads this year. I found a dozy one on my doorstep a month ago and he seemed exhausted so I fed him some sugar water and after a little rest he flew away. Lovely fluffy dude. I am glad he recovered.

I was in Bourton on the Water last week and the weather was beautiful and the bees were out in force - if the food sources are available the bees will find it - this hawthorn tree was humming with hundreds of bees.

I've seen quite a few (bumblebees and solitary bees, mainly. Not sure about honey bees...).

pssssst it's (most likely) a girl

We've had a very good year for bees here in SW Surrey. The early blossom was teeming, so many bees that the petals came down like snow! Our Pulmonaria is always a favourite, and my French Lavender has been amazing too, very early, very flowery, and full of bees. It's been very wet, with no frost, so I think very ambient this year.

Really? I thought most worker bees were male? Interesting

Lovely fluffy lady 😊