Following Honeybee Disappearance, Bumblebees Begin Vanishing Act

[medbiller777]

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Looking high and low, Robbin Thorp can no longer find a species of bumblebee that just five years ago was plentiful in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon.

Thorp, an emeritus professor of entomology from the University of California at Davis, found one solitary worker last year along a remote mountain trail in the Siskiyou Mountains, but hasn't been able to locate any this year.
He fears that the species — Franklin's bumblebee — has gone extinct before anyone could even propose it for the endangered species list. To make matters worse, two other bumblebee species — one on the East coast, one on the West — have gone from common to rare.http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299982,00.html

[Kknight]

:suprised :scratch

Not good. Anyone know if bumblebees have any effect on food sources like the honeybees do?

[medbiller777]

:suprised :scratch

Not good. Anyone know if bumblebees have any effect on food sources like the honeybees do?

I believe they do. I think that they help pollinate all types of plants. I know that I saw very, very few of any types of bees this summer.

[Kknight]

I believe they do. I think that they help pollinate all types of plants. I know that I saw very, very few of any types of bees this summer.

I saw quite a few buzzing around our lavender bush. We live in Colorado. Where are you at?

Kknight

[Skywalker]

Some beekeepers who move their hives across the country have been breeding their bees to concentrate more on the pollination process and less on making/ storing honey. The bees are transported to specific plants that are blooming and then moved to pollinate another area. They aren't given the opportunity to forage all the available nectar-producing plants around.

I have a friend who keeps bees on my land and I can assure you that they are not in danger of extinction:panic. I have also had numerous bumble and mason bees around this year. (Northeast Texas).

Perhaps the "honeybee plague" is a result of man's attempts to modify their behavior to increase profits? :idunno

[lisaann]

I just recently heard that this bee problem isnt a problem here in MD yet. :idunno

I do know that we have had the strangest looking bee/wasp/hornet in abundance this year though. :fear It is HUGE, brown and yellow and has the wickedest sting ever. :cry I have never seen this thing before this year. :scratch

[Skywalker]

Count yourself lucky. We have a tiny wasp that builds a mud nest inside the keyhole of riding lawnmowers. :hairout

[Resting]

I didn't see a single bumblebee this summer.

I like them...miss them actually..