Vanishing Honey Bees

[Monkeyman]

Run time: 03:34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JvxMZCoHs8   Posted on YouTube: May 14, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: May 14, 2007 By DU Member: Monkeyman Views on DU: 799

 
This I think is a repost But there is a member here who is very worried about this. I have three hives they are Ok so far

[Turbineguy]

1. We have bees

buzzing around on the vine maple in front and bumble bees in the back yard.

We live just north of Seattle

[9thkvius]

2. I have noticed a lack of bees this year

I have been doing heirloom gardening for over ten years, and not to sound too alarmist, but this is the first year that I have yet to see a single bee in my garden this late in the spring. My herbs are blooming like mad and normally that draws a lot of honey bees and bumble bees but I have just not seen any. I also have clover all over my yard and I used to see bees flying all around the yard going to the clover too. I have seen wasps and some butterflies and a host of other insects but no bees. I hope that is not a sign of something terribly wrong around here.

I may end up getting myself some bees of my own if I can no longer rely on getting wild bees to pollinate all my heirloom plants. I have got to have bees to get some of these plants pollinated.

[lovuian]

3. It is serious critical whatever Big Alarm needs to go off

I hear ya

[Monkeyman]

4. I posted this one for you kiddo

[NJCher]

5. how many do you have?

Can't you pollinate with a paintbrush?



Cher

[9thkvius]

6. The garden isn't THAT big

so I suppose I could try doing all the pollination manually if I have no other choice. It's just that I have never done it that way before in all my years of gardening. I guess I might have to study up and make sure I do it right.

[Gato Moteado]

7. off topic question about your heirloom gardening

if you're growing things like tomatoes and peppers which are normally pollinated by wind (but can also be pollinated by insects), how have you been able to insure that your crops aren't becoming contaminated with pollen from nearby fruits of other varieties? in other words, if you're growing more than one variety of tomatoes, how are you ensuring that you can get seed stock from tomatoes in your garden that are pure and not a mix of two varieties?

i have some peppers, called rocotos, that have been in cultivation for 5000 years (the incas developed the variety). they're wonderful hot peppers. i want to ensure that i can get seeds that have not been contaminated with pollen from nearby sweet peppers so that the next generations of plants will continue to produce hot peppers.