From

Location

Message

Date Posted

WNC Usa

Do bees do a good job of pollinating AG plants?

Thanks

2/18/2009 7:35:15 PM

Columbus,ohio

YES! they ussaully will do a good job of polinationg anything if you have them

2/18/2009 7:56:09 PM

Denver, CO

The Bees are so effective at pollinating AG's that we have to go to great lenghts during pollination time just to keep the bees from beating us too it! Of course they have some 250 Million years or practice.

2/18/2009 8:20:03 PM

Ohio

Krc ,
Not to Hijack your post but to add to it some, but do we still have the Bees out there to pollinate like we used to? There was a lot killed off the last few years by a disease they was catching. Has there been any word out about what was really causing this? Are the Bees making a come back now? I know this had me worried.

2/19/2009 6:50:03 AM

Macomb County

About bees, I happened to watch a special on them. They honestly aren't sure. The French were convinced it's Merit.
They tested dead bees and found they weren't just infected with mites, but a host of bacterial and fungal diseases. Their theory is the insectides, especially merit are weakening their immune systems. However, another study claimed Merit kills their mites. Merit is what's in cat and dog flea and tick prevention. In parts of China, there are no bees left at all and they showed them having to pollinate their plum trees, etc. with feathers and pollen by hand now. The program ended with no-one being able to say for sure yet.

2/19/2009 7:09:17 AM

WNC Usa

They think there is a mite killing off the honeybees

Most of the bees I see pollinating my plants are wood and bumble bees. I see some honeybees

2/19/2009 8:46:35 AM

Lexington, Ky

If you need bees to help out, just set out a container of Coke or Pepsi beside what needs pollinated, that will do it.

2/19/2009 2:08:28 PM

Pataskala,OH

Don't spray open flowers with pesticide.

2/19/2009 3:15:03 PM

Minnesota

Plenty of bee's where I live. Last year I pollinated my pumpkin I kept covered, when I was done I left it uncovered, within 30 seconds there was a bee in my pollinated flower.

2/19/2009 3:27:59 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Plenty of bees left flyin around here in W. Ky. No way to do a controlled pollination, w/out doing a VERY controlled pollination...covered b/4 and after, males and females!! Peace, Wayne

2/19/2009 9:55:33 PM

Gold Hill, Oregon

the disease is still there. they still haven't figured out whats killing the bees. there is an over abundance of bees in the almond fields in california. i was told by some local bee keepers its a cut throat bussiness in the almond fields this year.

2/19/2009 10:29:56 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

250 million yrs vs a growers determination not to let the bees in lol.

2/22/2009 6:23:47 PM

Ireland

My Dad keeps honey bees and every time around pollination there is bees (lots of them ) in the polytunnel, one time I counted 9 bees in one male flower.Yes they do a good job for our plants.
Micheal

2/23/2009 4:22:59 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

We have plenty here.

2/24/2009 1:36:56 AM

Adams County

havent seen a real honey bee here in 2 years

2/24/2009 8:20:16 AM

Mcminnville, Or. (oregonangler@comcast.net)

You may want to check out Mason bees. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to care for and are great early pollinators. We live in the pacific NW, apiarists don't start hives here until it's too late for some plants. Our plum tree is flowering during the wet, cool spring. With the Masons, I shouldn't have to worry about any of our fruit & veggies being pollinated. Cheers, Brent

2/24/2009 10:43:06 AM

Springfield, Oregon

I use Mason bees to pollinate my fruit trees here in Oregon in early to mid April. The adults have finished their pollinating and die by early June, way too early for most pumpkin blossoms.

3/3/2009 10:35:14 PM