This year I have taken notice of the absence of bees. My lawn has a lot of white clover in it and it reminded me of making clover necklaces as a kid in the 70's, and how we had to be mindful of the many bees going about their business on the clover patches we were sitting in. (And some aside info for younger members: lawn seed mixes used to purposefully include clover, but now it's considered a weed by most people and lawn professionals.)
Anyway, back to the bees, I have not seen a single honeybee on the clover this year, and I've been watching for them. I did see one bee on my confederate jasmine one day, but that's about it. I know something must be pollinating my plants, because I have a bunch of plums filling out, and a ton of blackberries ripening and needing to be picked every other day. (Or do blackberries self-pollinate?) I have seen other insect pollinators, but just the one honeybee. I remember reading a few years ago that honeybees were suffering a mysterious severe decline, but did they ever pinpoint the exact reason? Whatever the reason, the honeybee is conspicuously absent in my neck of the woods.
Radly
