There is an (apparently) unattended beehive box on the property I'm about to buy. I see plenty of bees swarming on it. I'm in Knoxville.

Not sure what those things are called

It is amazing though. That bees used to be so common that you never gave them a thought.... now, when I see a real bee and give it the same attention that I give to, say, bluebirds!

It's still a big mystery to me. Last year there were bees everywhere! There are beehives on the TVA land behind my property and the keeper said last year he had hive collapse. He restocked his hives only to have them blown over by the strong storms in the spring. They are just now settling down.

Still I have only two bees in my garden and they are not honey bees. I was so happy to see them that I took their picture!

A couple of years ago spring and summer passed in my garden without a single butterfly. This year there are tons, including some species I've never seen before.

I don't know the reason for these disappearances but I hope the bees come back. Maybe Mother Nature is giving me a lesson in Insect Appreciation.

Speaking of Blue Jays, I haven't seen any of them since winter.

Here is a link that might be useful: My two bees

I can see a coneflower with something that looks like a fly or bee or something. The album doesn't open unless you sign up for the service. Try Photobucket or something like that.

I usually see about the same amount of bees every year around here. I don't see a lot, but I always see a few. I think it takes a larger study area with lots of samples to really determine how many bees are around from year to year. I'm not sure what you can see in just one yard is really indicative of the "big picture".

I agree. My information is strictly anecdotal. No science here. I just know that I have basically the same flowers that I have every year and every other year the bees have been abundant. My friends in other areas of Nashville report such problem. I'm jealous of them!

I'll sign up for Photobucket if you can view photos without joining.

Left out a word. My friends in other areas of Nashville report no such problem.

I lost two hives this year. Was here one day and gone the next. Too expensive to replace. Getting out of this hobby.

Norm, How much does a hive cost? Where do you get them? I've never seen a bee store (-; I've always wanted to keep bees and always been a little afraid to do it to. But I've always thought one of these days...

I bought mine over in Arkansas. Forgot the exact price but it was around a hundred dollars for each batch with the queen bee. Then the cost of your hive or box. I guess it hits about 200.00 dollars when you count everything.

4 years ago we had few bees. Last year we had what seemed to be a galore in bees. This year we have several but I can't say as many as last year.

I remember as a kid bees were everywhere on all of the clover. About every blossom would have a bee (well maybe not all but it sure seemed like a lot to a kid). I remember every year I would get stung (I loved going bare footed, heck I still do). I was stung the last 2 years so I would say that there are more now than there was a few years past.

There supposedly was an article written about the decrease in honey bees, I didn't read it so I can't say what they said was the cause. Though I do remember hearing something else about killer bees moving closer to our area. I seriously wonder if maybe a few scouts are coming our way and you know disturbing our honey bees. I don't know if that theory is even valid but it would make sense. Colder our winter the better our honey bees do, maybe cause the killer bees can't make it??

At our farm in Lincoln County we have had lots of bees. The last couple of weeks in particular have seen the Vitex flowers just swarming with them. Last weekend I sat on the deck for about an hour just watching the bees and the butterflies having a great time with those bushes.