Where are all the bees 🐝?

Glyphosate is a herbicide - no impact on bees :roll_eyes:

Could be random in your case, but bees being in trouble is not new.

That’s kind of like saying that lead-based dishes are just tableware and cannot affect humans.

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itβ€˜s acting like neurotoxin for bees, thatβ€˜s why the EU tries to stop it,and since the big chemical companies do a good lobby job itβ€˜s f…ed up!

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I’ve got a few here:

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The various damaging effects of Glyphosate have been well known for many years. That includes direct effect on the health of organisms that are not the intended target, quite apart from the more obvious effect of killing off flowering plants on which bees and other animals depend.
The only reason it has survived on the market for so long down to the considerable legal efforts to keep its license by Monsanto.

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That may be so, though depends on the farm. but the reason for bees disappearing from gardens when rape is planted nearby is that bees love the vast expanse of flowers with nectar they find tasty. It makes a set honey, almost white in colour. I’m pleased there are none near me as I prefer runny honey.

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Same in East Sussex Andy. We had (we’ve just moved to Somerset this week!) a Cotoneaster outside our french doors, 5ft x 3ft oval shaped. A few weeks ago I guesstimated around a hundred bees on it. It was buzzing louder than my Naim power supply rack!..
Having said that, to OP’s point, I think bee numbers are down this year. Quite a lot of Bumblebees though :man_shrugging:

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Some bees

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Thanks all. Glad to hear it’s not just me and probably down to the weather. We’ve had a real soaking over the last 24hrs so that’s not helped either. Birds are doing great and our nest boxes have been busy but we’re just missing the bees.

I’ve also noticed that I have at least 20 nests in my garden. May I ask if you are leaving them in situ or are you terminating them or dealing with the situation in a different manner? :relaxed:

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That is a very good question. My lawn this year is absolutely covered in the them more ants nests than lawn - so I have resorted to a nematode solution- it doesn’t sit well with me but needs must.

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Got one in a compost bin, decided the bin can wait to next year

Bumble bee nest near my workshop door has been excavated overnight. Badgers? They are still flying in and out but have two entrances now.

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Mice or rats?

Spotted this little beastie yesterday, a hoverfly I think.

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Is that your piccie? If so what macro lens did you use?

Huge excavation of earth and noticed last week a few tulip bulbs dug up. So I’m thinking badgers.

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Just a snapshot on my iPhone XS, I was quite surprised how well it came out.

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I have noticed a lack of bees of late. We have had masonry and bumble bees but not in great numbers at all. Weather has been awful though so maybe playing its part. All my flowering plants have been later this year to and not all of them have had a great show and some didn’t appear at all due to the large amount of snails and slugs. I was queuing for the local refuse tip on Saturday and their entrance is lined with elder that was all in flower and that had some honey bees around but not as many as I would expect.

Same here was mowing yesterday and noticed so many it’s going to be chaos out there when flying Ant day arrives. Whicj feels imminent with all the activity going on. They where swarming everywhere after me disturbing them with the mower.

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