sheryl said:Yeah, it is really strange - we have a ton of carpenter bees, wasps, sweat bees and lotsa other pollinators, but I've barely seen one or two honey bees since I moved here in 2006. It's very rural, so I'm kind of scratching my head about it. It is a farming community and I'm sure many areas are sprayed with stuff that isn't bee friendly, but there's also a lot of woods, so.... ?

Of course, I know there's a big problem with our honey bees in the U.S., but it's just *so* few....

Sheryl, I've been in my house outside ATL since fall 2007, and last summer was the first time I saw honeybees in my yard here...

Sheryl, do they do aerial spraying of the crops? That could be your answer. Aerial spraying gets a lot more than just the field crop they are spraying. There's over-spray & a lot of drift involved too & woods aren't likely to be much exempt from the spray coming down through the canopy; if for no other reason than when it lands on the foliage & then the dew (or rain) drips off the foliage it ends up on the under story plants.

I have the most bees on Datura in early morning and then on fall asters. They also love the indigo spires salvia.

The bees here love my Gazanias too.

Gazanias!

@==> Ann

I haven't *seen* any aerial spraying - that doesn't mean it doesn't happen though.

Well, thanks for the hope, Mindy - I certainly would like to see more.

I have bees here. It has taken me MANY years to be 'comfortable' enough to allow them anywhere close to my house. I have learned there is a big difference in the behavior of a bee than a wasp too. I am highly allergic (anaphylaxis) to both. As I grow older and learn more about gardening and such I have realized what an important role bees play in the garden. I just have to be extra careful of my own movements and such where I know that they hang out. I don't know the different kinds of bees though. I have yet to learn them, in the past I never cared to know I just kept them far away from me and my home. Here is a picture I was bold enough to get, perhaps one of you can tell me what kind it is

Another on west tx mist flower

Bees just go bananas over Stalked Bulbine!

Stalked Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)

and for further reading:

http://bulbinefrutescens.com/

http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gar...

They also love Sennas!

Honeybees Stephanie!

They are highly offended by our breath so don't blow on them. And if one lands on you DON"T PANIC (easy for me to say) & wave your arms all around. Just stay calm, they'll fly off in a couple seconds.

Honeybees Wonder where their hive is It's probably in one of the fields around the house. Thanks for warning me about my breath. Do you think Listerine would help Sorry couldn't help it I'll try to remember to keep calm and still

Listerine

Yep honeybees Steph very nice shots too.
If they are wild bees they probably have their hive in a tree.
You don't have to move real slow Steph just no sudden movements. They really are too busy to bother you when you see them out on the flowers and will only get mad at you if you disturb their work.

After my great bee incident where I got multiple stings, I react much more strongly to stings of any sort. Doc gave me an epi-pen (which I'm sure you already have, Steph) and if I'm going out to garden, I just double check to see where it is. So far I've never reached the stage of anaphylaxis, but I'm ready should it ever become a problem.

Bees do indeed love asters in the fall.

How lovely!

And so do the butterflies



Karen

Excellent photos both of you!

Grrrr.... I say every single stupid year that I'm going to get Asters. Then I forget, again, until I see these great pics.

ARRRgh!

I have some wild ones growing on our property. There are lots! I hope next year there are even more!!!!!!! Mine aren't quite as blue as the ones Karen posted though.

Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens)