Where are the honey Bee's?

[Potstubsdustbins]

SWMBO planted a couple of white Hebe bushes a few years back and they seem very popular with the bees.

I haven't notice a decline in bee numbers but cabbage whites are noticeable by their absence, not complaining about that though.

[jacob]

Pollinators were late to emerge this year. Got bumbles aplenty now (and honey bees, but then I've got two beehives), but seem to be very few hoverflies this year.

[kathyd]

A quick note on the lack of insects on flowers - something I've learned since we got bees earlier in the year! As we all know, bees like nectar. If there's a prolonged period of drought (which we certainly had here for 3-4 weeks) the nectar doesn't 'flow' so there's a 'dearth'. No nectar, no nectar-loving insects, even if the flowers are in full bloom. We tried watering a small patch of phacelia and some leek flowers when we discovered this, and the next day a (small) number of insects re-appeared. Since then we've had the odd tiny drizzle of rain and some heavy dews and the bees are back collecting nectar and pollen again. So in future I shall consider watering my nectar-producing flowers during a drought, not just my veggies... I also didn't realise that not all flowers produce nectar, so it's worth checking that you have at least a few nectar ones in your garden or on your allotment .

[Two_Sheds]

at last, dozens of ladybirds are here, mopping up the 1000s of aphids