Bumble bees

[Odsox]

Where are the bumble bees ?
I'm a bit worried about them, as I haven't seen any lately.
The apricot tree in my greenhouse is smothered in bloom and the perfume is overpowering when you get anywhere near. Other years the greenhouse has been full of big black bumble bees, dozens of them crawling over every flower, but so far this year ... none.
Today is an ideal day, wall to wall sunshine, 15c outside temperature and a balmy sea breeze, but walking around the garden there are no bees on any of the flowers, daffodils, daisies, dandelions, hyacinths, not one ... and the should be.

I do hope that they are just late waking up.

[Brewtrog]

The whole year seems to have been a bit late, hopefully the bees are the same

[doofaloofa]

maybe they read the study that explained that they are, aerodynamically speaking, unable to fly, and have to walk every where now?

[Odsox]

I hope you're right, although I normally see the odd bumble bee during fine days in January, on the daffodils and especially dandelions, but I don't remember seeing any this year, and it's now well into March.

Don't be silly Doofa, bumble bees can't read.

[contadina]

They all over here in Puglia absolutely swarming all over my rosemary.

[diggernotdreamer]

Lots of bumble bees live in holes in the ground, the amount of rain we have had, I wonder if a lot of them have drowned, not seen a single bee here either, very odd, they are usually buzzing round the daffs and hellebores by now

[ina]

Well, come to think of it - no, I haven't seen any yet either. There were some midges out not long ago, though...

[Green Aura]

Has Ireland taken to mass use of neonicotinoid weedkillers? They've been linked to mass bee die off.

Hopefully it's just the weather though - we're so far behind I can't tell what's going on up here yet. But as we're one of the last homes of the Great Yellow which live in holes in the ground (I know, I'd never heard of them either until we became part of a conservation project) I hope ours just haven't woken up yet.

I'm assuming our ground dwellers must have water wings as deluges are common every autumn/winter. Although it tends not to linger because of the rocks, or something.

Blimey, we don't get midges until August!

[diggernotdreamer]

Well, come to think of it - no, I haven't seen any yet either. There were some midges out not long ago, though...

There's always feckin midges, nothing gets them down

[Flo]

I've been standing in the back garden talking within the last 20 minutes and seen 2. Mind it is lovely and sunny, suddenly spring warm sunshine.

[Odsox]

After posting about my apricot tree, there were 2 black bumble bees on it this morning.
Probably not the ones you saw Flo, so there's probably at least 4 then.
So, don't panic Mr Mainwaring!

No Neonicotinoids down this way GA, nearest arable farm is at least 20 miles away.