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I was at an exhibition in Toronto, Ontario over 10 years ago and almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a beekeeper casually exclaim that "wild bees don't ex

I was at an exhibition in Toronto, Ontario over 10 years ago and almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a beekeeper casually exclaim that "wild bees don't exist in Ontario any more". I pressed her on it and she said that sure some do still exist but hardly enough to really do any pollinating of much of anything. I used to see honeybees all the time growing up. Been bit by plenty. Now I am hard pressed to find a single one if I look.

cmrdporcupine 5y ago
Honeybees are never really "wild" in Ontario. They're a European / Asian species. I don't think they naturalize well here, nor should they, they're invasive if they do. I am sure there's the odd wild colony here and there, but I doubt they last long. That said, there's honeybees all over my farm right now (Hamilton area) going crazy on my cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins and zucchinis. And they're not mine, I don't keep them, and I don't know of any neighbours here who do. Earlier in the year it was bumblebees (oh they're so cute!) but right now just lots and lots of honeybees.
- johnnyApplePRNG 5y ago
  Well that's a relief! Maybe I've just spent too long in the city!
  - cmrdporcupine 5y ago
    I remember seeing a segment by David Suzuki I think about how bee populations are actually healthier in some respects inside urban areas than they are in many rural areas, due to the spread of large scale monocrop cash crop agriculture. Backyards in urban areas combined with parks are in some ways more diverse than a lot of the midwest/great lakes cash cropped region at this point :-(
    - hinkley 5y ago
      I’ve lived in to “garden districts” and I always shut my trap when population collapses are discussed because in my area everything goes great. I let an area go fallow last year and I’m still trying to identify some of the insects I saw. Lots of parasitoid wasps. This year it’s smaller and the weather is drier and hotter so the flowers I believe are little late. Also because it’s hot I’m and there’s more things to look at and do, I’m spending less time observing. It does still feel like this might be a worse year than last, but in this area at least I know there’s a reservoir of diversity than can still be cultivated.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- lostlogin 5y ago
  Feral colonies tend to die out within the season where I am (New Zealand). The mite load gets too high without treatment, and it causes a crash. Seeing an untreated hive in late autumn is very depressing. I’ve nursed one of mine back to health this winter, after treating it just like the rest, but finding roughly 100 mites per cup of bees (approximately 250 bees). I treat once it passes 3 per cup of bees. Once you get numbers that high, bees with deformed wing virus are stumbling about. Dead, starved bees can be seen in cells and mites can be seen running about. The larvae are dying from starvation or cold due to there being too few nurse bees. Wasps and other bees are robbing the weak hive and debris is all over the floor. It’s horrible to find but satisfying to fix (when you can).

cmrdporcupine 5y ago

Honeybees are never really "wild" in Ontario. They're a European / Asian species. I don't think they naturalize well here, nor should they, they're invasive if they do. I am sure there's the odd wild colony here and there, but I doubt they last long. That said, there's honeybees all over my farm right now (Hamilton area) going crazy on my cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins and zucchinis. And they're not mine, I don't keep them, and I don't know of any neighbours here who do. Earlier in the year it was bumblebees (oh they're so cute!) but right now just lots and lots of honeybees.

johnnyApplePRNG 5y ago
Well that's a relief! Maybe I've just spent too long in the city!
- cmrdporcupine 5y ago
  I remember seeing a segment by David Suzuki I think about how bee populations are actually healthier in some respects inside urban areas than they are in many rural areas, due to the spread of large scale monocrop cash crop agriculture. Backyards in urban areas combined with parks are in some ways more diverse than a lot of the midwest/great lakes cash cropped region at this point :-(
  - hinkley 5y ago
    I’ve lived in to “garden districts” and I always shut my trap when population collapses are discussed because in my area everything goes great. I let an area go fallow last year and I’m still trying to identify some of the insects I saw. Lots of parasitoid wasps. This year it’s smaller and the weather is drier and hotter so the flowers I believe are little late. Also because it’s hot I’m and there’s more things to look at and do, I’m spending less time observing. It does still feel like this might be a worse year than last, but in this area at least I know there’s a reservoir of diversity than can still be cultivated.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
lostlogin 5y ago
Feral colonies tend to die out within the season where I am (New Zealand). The mite load gets too high without treatment, and it causes a crash. Seeing an untreated hive in late autumn is very depressing. I’ve nursed one of mine back to health this winter, after treating it just like the rest, but finding roughly 100 mites per cup of bees (approximately 250 bees). I treat once it passes 3 per cup of bees. Once you get numbers that high, bees with deformed wing virus are stumbling about. Dead, starved bees can be seen in cells and mites can be seen running about. The larvae are dying from starvation or cold due to there being too few nurse bees. Wasps and other bees are robbing the weak hive and debris is all over the floor. It’s horrible to find but satisfying to fix (when you can).