No bees but plenty of squash bugs

[milkmansdaughter]

We're also planning on adding bees. It was planned for this spring, but has been pushed off to next year. Our yard is COVERED with clover, but we rarely see bees. The neighbors to the west of us are always spraying the creek bed with poison, and the water then flows right through our front yard.. Ugh! But something is still pollinating things because apples, figs, pears, and berries are all growing

 

[BarredBuff]

Got to have bees. I haven't noticed any this year either. I used to keep them but they died out on me. Planning on getting some next spring.

 

[CrealCritter]

We're also planning on adding bees. It was planned for this spring, but has been pushed off to next year. Our yard is COVERED with clover, but we rarely see bees. The neighbors to the west of us are always spraying the creek bed with poison, and the water then flows right through our front yard.. Ugh! But something is still pollinating things because apples, figs, pears, and berries are all growing

Uggg... Some people are morons

 

[cabinguy]

We don't keep bees (DH is allergic) but we do encourage mason and other wild bees by setting up houses for them and making sure we have pollen available for as long as possible given our unpredictable weather. I think one of the neatest things I ever saw was watching a bumble bee settle down to sleep in a flower (I think it was a daisy but I can't really remember) and watching her wrap herself in a couple of the petals, as if she was pulling a blanket around her.

Mason Bees are native and can pollinate 100 times better than honey bees without the honey. Do you harvest the cocoons ?

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Oooooh, another thing to go look up! (Sometimes when I'm here, I wonder what I've been doing my whole life since there's always so much more to learn!) I never even heard of harvesting the cocoons, and wouldn't know a mason bee if one came up and landed on me.I just joined some Facebook groups for gardening in our area, so hopefully I'll learn more on this. @cabinguy, what do you do with the cocoons after you harvest them?

 

[Britesea]

I've never harvested the cocoons-- didn't know you could do that. unfortunately, my fridge is usually so full I'd probably lose them in there, lol

 

[baymule]

Why not just leave them where they are?

 

[baymule]

Well that makes sense.