No Bees

so lucky said:

Someone on this forum captured two separate swarms last year, or two years ago. Maybe Dickybird? Great pictures of the capture of a wild swarm, too, but it seems to me it was from someone else. I think it was one of our gal members posting that exciting event.
I see maybe one or two honeybees a day, now. and we have white clover in our lawn. You would think there would be hundreds, at least. But there are lots of bumbles and masons (I think) on the sunflowers and roses, and other flowers, too.

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Carol Dee said:

My Husband and soon took a wild swarm out of a barn last summer. I will try to find the post.
Also @JimWWhite posted about capturing swarms. (Well his WIFE did!)

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Jared77 said:

Here in my little Midwest mitten shaped peninsula state we have honey bees. Not a zillion of them but they have been on the clover and a variety of flowers. These are all wild bees too. Closest hives I know of are a mile or so out.

Seen quite a few bumble bees too more than honey bees but so far it's been a decent season for them.

I think the supplementing is a big issue. You're propping up a weak colony. It's not natural. Your breeding on inferior queens, which produce inferior workers. You have to cull hard and let nature take it's course. But instead the culture has been created where inferior hives are pushed along and the beeks have bred themselves into a corner.

The honeybee will survive. It will take it's losses, and through good husbandry and a smart breeding practices that ensure strong bees are passing along their traits we'll see them back in force.

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