Sweat bees appear to be missing also

Bee-Bop · May 15, 2008, 09:59:58 PM

Talking to a few other people and they also think that sweat bees are fewer.

I've worked outdoor manuel labor for years wearing either no shirt or t-shirt in the summer months, 6-7 sweat bees would cover your arms, I can't remember the last one I saw in the past few years.

Just wonder if CCD could affect them also ?

Bee-Bop

IndianaBrown · June 03, 2008, 01:14:57 AM

I don't remember the last time I saw a sweat bee. I have not seen a bumble bee this year, and only one carpenter bee so far... Few lady bugs, no mantises, no walking sticks, not even very many flies. We had lightning bugs (fireflies) and lots of mosquito last year, (gotta get a bat house up,) but I remember when taking a road trip in the summer meant scraping the bug guts off your windshield every time you stopped for gas. I drive from Indy to Western PA several times a year and almost never see one on the windshield anymore.

On the other hand honebee swarm calls are definitely up for me this year. Is it the weather? Nature trying to regain equilibrium? Or just better public awareness of honebees? If nothing else, the CCD scare has helped educate the public somewhat. Every caller I get talks about it.

indypartridge · June 03, 2008, 07:32:47 AM

Quote from: IndianaBrown on June 03, 2008, 01:14:57 AMI have not seen a bumble bee this year, and only one carpenter bee so far...

They're all down at my house! The friggin' carpenter bees are chewing my cabin and barn to pieces. The bumbles are so loud it reminds of when I lived in Indy near the airport. In the four years I've lived here, this is the worst I've seen them. Plus we just had a major cicada invasion.

qa33010 · June 03, 2008, 01:40:06 PM

I think some came down here also! A lot of bumblers, seems like more than last year as well as sweat bees. Haven't seen any mud daubers yet and few yellow wasps and some red wasps. A whole bunch of a smaller thinner black wasp have been around. Last fall there were more red and yellow wasp queens than you could shake a stick at looking for wintering homes.

HAB · June 03, 2008, 03:10:31 PM

Sweat Bees! Come on down and help your self. :) Plenty for everyone, one got the back of my neck late yesterday and its still itching!

But honestly, I can remember them following me around in clouds. But not the last couple of years. Usually have to dust our 36 head herd of mixed breed cattle for them, but haven't had two for several years now.

Vetch · June 06, 2008, 05:26:56 PM

Honeybees have been pretty scarce here in the past few years, as well. Lots of metallic greenies and sweat bees, a few bumblers and yellow jackets, Many-Many brown wasps. Saw something yesterday that looked like a honey bee, but it was much bigger. (pictured below)

The first few years when we moved into our house, there were frogs like crazy. They would climb up on the back walls and make lots of noise!! The past few years, not so many.

SgtMaj · June 20, 2008, 05:48:20 AM

We have a few sweat bees. Fewer wasps, but that can be attributed to the velvet ants (a.k.a. cowkillers) that have moved into the area. Which reminds me... do I need to worry about velvet ants killing a honey bee hive?

bhoeschcod · May 17, 2009, 01:17:52 AM

lol no bombus?thats wierd :shock:

G3farms · May 17, 2009, 07:51:10 AM

here there are more sweat bees than normal, lots of bumbles and the carpenter bees are fewer (thats because of me and a badmiton racket), still the honey bees are fewer but I'm working on that.

Watch those velvet ants though, they are not ants at all, they are really wingless wasp. Next time you see one pick it up with a pair of needle nose pliers and watch that stinger come out. You will not believe how long it is.

G3

SgtMaj · May 17, 2009, 06:19:41 PM

Quote from: G3farms on May 17, 2009, 07:51:10 AM
here there are more sweat bees than normal, lots of bumbles and the carpenter bees are fewer (thats because of me and a badmiton racket), still the honey bees are fewer but I'm working on that.

Watch those velvet ants though, they are not ants at all, they are really wingless wasp. Next time you see one pick it up with a pair of needle nose pliers and watch that stinger come out. You will not believe how long it is.

G3

Yeah, and their exoskeleton is tough enough that other bees can't sting them. They usually kill yellow jacket nests by just walking right in and laying eggs that will eventually eat all the yellow jacket larva... wasn't sure if they'd do the same thing with honey bees though.

Brian D. Bray · May 26, 2009, 01:17:59 AM

I'm seeing more sweat bees, as well as bumbles, this year than yellow jackets and hornets. I think it has something to do with the fact that sweat and bumbles hibernate in an insolated nest whereas wasp, hornets, and yellow jackets are more into paper marche construction that just doesn't have the R value that dirt and wood do.