I've seen wasps, but no bees. However' I'm with you. Just leave the bees alone, because we just can't afford to be killing them with the colony collapse epidemic going on. Scary stuff.

I have TONS of bees. Bumble bees and the little wild ones - I have edible crab apple trees and tons of early flowers so they like my yard. I'll take a look out today and see if any from the UofM's honey bee hives have made it down here yet. I often get large groups of them here in my butterfly perennial garden.

-Marie

I seen some bumblebees yesterday in my strawberry patch which just started to bloom a couple of days ago.

Bumble bees all over the place here....wasps....furry bumble bee's, and little unknown ones! And the ant's are taking on my peonies great!

I am pretty far north, near East Grand Forks. My plum trees were full of blossoms Monday. There were a ton of the native bees, and some butterfly's. We aslo spied our first hummingbirds that day. Today my apples and crabapples are blooming, I didn't notice the native bees, but we have had a heck of a wind, and I did see a couple bumble bees in my flowers.

I can't say if this is early or anything though, I notice these things when they happen, but I don't keep track.

Jenny P

I've been seeing bumble bees for at least a couple of weeks now, but haven't noticed any wasps or honey bees yet. I'm in Owatonna, so am further south then some of the other folks.

In Crystal we have had bees, bumble bees and wasps- and butterflies for a month now!
It was fun to find my first few toads as well-

It does seem like there are fewer than normal- but it is good to see some.

I had swarms of honey bees on puschkinia a month ago, and a few on my crabapples, and bumblebees on my tulips. I've also killed a few wasps and hornets already.

Saw my first bee yesterday. Not sure what variety, big fuzzy mostly black with some whitish yellow in very wide stripes.

That be a bumble bee, parrot. Interesting creature, usually goes about it's own business. First one I ever met got me on the lip when I was eating a sandwich. That taught me the real meaning of fat lip. I was about 8.

I've seen bumblebees and wasps in saint paul but no honeybees. Our plum trees were full of some sort of teeny tiny bee things, didn't look like honeybees though..husband is very worried about lack of bees and is keeping a lookout..

Thanks to all who are bee counting.

My count in the Midway area of St Paul so far is:

Honey bees 0
Bumble bees 0
Wasp 1

I have a flowering dwarf plum tree and several perennials that have blossomed and still have blossoms. The tulips have spent and I wasn't looking for bees then but it was still chilly out.

Other flowers should have bees but I have not seen any yet.

Kinda wondering. Say it ain't so Joe!

dewey,

I'm up on Larpenteur in St Paul - my rose is COVERED in bumble and honey bees (from the UofM's hives) I also have an exceptionally healthy wild bee population.

-Marie

I was moving a few plants today and getting the bare root roses that I wasn't going to buy but then couldn't resist in the ground and noticed bumble bee after bumble bee crawling under my detached garage. Apparently I'm now a bee keeper. :)

I've had lots of bees, starting in late April/early May. My puschkinia were covered with them, and I've had bumblebees all over my yard. I've also had a hummingbird bee, which was the oddest thing - thank goodness for google and teh image search function.

Today I had bees.....maybe had some for the last few days cause something other than I was closing up the squash flowers.

While working in the yard I noticed several bumble bees working hard at my tomato blossoms. Must have been more but I just left them to their business. Then I noticed some honey bees and other smaller wasp type bees in the wild flower part of my garden.

So happy to see them I sat and watched them work while I rested.