Have you heard about the problem the honey bees are having?

Here is a link that might be useful: Bee Decline

Thanks -- I've heard that on NPR. But I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed it in the field, and in NJ, particularly.

In my neck of the woods we have plenty of carpenter bees. Want some? I'd be happy to ship them to you. LOL

Years ago, when the honeybee population began to decline, I wondered how pollination would take place.

I found that the bees were replaced by tiny little flies and other flying insects. Everything in the garden got pollinated and did just fine.

While I'm sure honeybees are probably the optimum pollinators, other creatures will fill the void, at least in the home garden.

There are many fewer bees in my yard this year - not just honeybees but bumblebees, mason bees and the little jewel or flower bees. Even fewer carpenter bees.

The blueberries and crabapples did get pollinated by something. The wild strawberries did not set fruit, but they always have problems that way.

Oh I have your carpenter bees too! Sadly I've had to kill about 6 so far, only those that go after my deck. Paint & stain hasn't helped :(
I normally see more carpenter bees when my white buddleia starts blooming. They can't seem to get enough of that one; it's literally covered with them.

I have seen just a few honeybees, and maybe one bumblebee. I miss them...

We were just talking about this at work recently. I commented on the fact that when my wisteria was blooming there weren't as many bees visiting it as there used to be. There used to be a time you could sit on my front porch and hear them in the wisteria, this year I could stand underneath it and hear nothing. I've noticed less carpenter bees a good thing for me since they invade my garage every year lol. I've seen one bumblebee this year also and no honeybees. I miss them too.

Yesterday, I noticed that my serviceberry that blooms early had on one small clump of berries, while the serviceberry that blooms about a week later is full of fruit. Unfortunately, I don't remember what the weather was like when either of them bloomed but I wonder if it was too cold for the alternate pollinators when the first one was in flower.

I do have more yellow jackets than usual (yes, I know they are a wasp).
I've only seen honey bees in the beginning of the year. I've seen a few other bees or perhaps their look alikes but I don't see any honey bees. I don't think I ever had a lot of those and maybe I see them all more in July.

Actually, the bees were out today after all.