I've been reading and hearing that honeybee populations are way, way down in recent months. Bee colony decline has sort of been out of the news.....until recently, and the news is dire.

Tomato pollination is different; bees aren't necessarily required. And honeybees aren't even attracted to tomato flowers, unless desperate. Big, buzzy bumblebees do a good job, so does some brisk wind, or even some assertive shaking.

HERE is a good explanation.

I encourage everyone to plant bee food plants in their gardens, not just to attract bees, but to PAY them for their services. :-)

There are a lot of bees in my yard in Birmingham, AL.

Susan