For a number of years we have been hearing that honey bees are disappearing and no one knows why.I've been prompted to look online to see if I can understand why bees are under threat and it seems that the biggest fear is something called Colony Collapse Disorder.
Simply put the worker bees disappear, maybe as a result of a virus or mites and the colony dies.
I found this information on the Guardian Newspaper's website very interesting:
Why bees matter.
"Flowering plants require insects for pollination. The most effective is the honeybee, which pollinates 90 commercial crops worldwide. As well as most fruits and vegetables – including apples, oranges, strawberries, onions and carrots – they pollinate nuts, sunflowers and oil-seed rape. Coffee, soya beans, clovers – like alfafa, which is used for cattle feed – and even cotton are all dependent on honeybee pollination to increase yields."
and the lavender in my potager....................................
Yesterday morning as I did my daily round to see how my garden was growing I was so very pleased to observe these hard working honey bees doing what comes naturally.............thank heavens for bees.
I'm linking to Susan's Outdoor Wednesday meme this week, so head over to A Southern Daydreamer to see what else is going on in the great outdoors.
that first photo is just amazing! and yes, thank goodness for bees ...
ReplyDeleteI've heard this is a good read :
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Beekeepers-Club-Stumbled-Curious/dp/1847443982/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281485904&sr=1-1
Ths year the Bees seem very keen on the Aliums and thistles (echinops ritro)here .....
Maggie, I've been thrilled to see many bees in my garden this spring and summer. Bees are so important for all our gardens. Thanks for sharing this! ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteGreat post and photos, I have been seeing lots of bees this summer.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics of bees and lavender - looks so healthy and pretty. We're seeing more this hot Summer, and of course those delightful and gigantic butterflies I featured on my blog this week. Nature is amazing.
ReplyDeleteMary X
P.S. I did comment on the mystery e-mail post you recently put up!
We've been seeing significantly more bees this year, but I haven't heard that the situation has improved nationally. I know that local honey producers were very worried last year - I must go to the market on Sunday and find out what's happening this year.
ReplyDeleteHi Maggie! Thank you so much for hopping over to my blog and leaving such a sweet comment! I absolutely adore your blog and look forward to looking through your previous posts and getting to know you a little bit better here in Blogland!
ReplyDeleteVanessa
http://southerninmyheart.blogspot.com
Great photos. I try to attract mason bees to my yard. I provide a home and lots of flowers. :)
ReplyDeletebeautiful pictures the bees and the lilac colored flower are amazing
ReplyDeleteGreat pics. Let's hope the bee population makes a comeback. La
ReplyDeleteI do understand about the importance of bees, that is why we started 2 hives last year on our farm. When we went to check on them this spring, all the bees were gone! I was so sad that I cried like a baby, we had fed them all winter and them they disappeared. We will try again next year,bees are important!
ReplyDeleteBees really do matter... great post and pictures!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog with your wonderful comment!
ReplyDeleteBees are a huge part of our state and my garden is full of them. I love the work they and the birds do in my garden! Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteWe have a neighbor with bees here and he's been really worried about this for the past 7 years or so. What trouble we would be in!!!! Yes, it's one of those tiny miracles of nature that we take for granted. How God put this little "worker bee" to do SO MUCH! I imagine Lavendar honey would be amazing!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThey are always around our citrus trees. I should really look into keeping bees... hmmm. One more thing? why not!
Great captures. The flowers are beautiful. We have a few bees visiting our garden. They like so much one of my native flwoers
ReplyDeleteMaggie, for those who follow Carol Drinkwater on Face Book, there has been a lot of discussion about bees. This is a most interesting post.
ReplyDelete