Thanks jean, though I believe the link is xerces.org

oops. Pleased you figured it out.

Bees really seem to enjoy our Russian sage.

Sunflowers may help, too.

Tomatoes and peppers don't require pollinators (although pollinators may help). They have perfect flowers (which means they have both male and female parts in each flower). Wind and such can cause the flowers to pollinate themselves. Squash have monoecious flowers, which means they can produce flowers of both sexes (but each flower is only one sex); so, unless they're parthenocarpic or something, they need pollinators.

You can grow parthenocarpic squash (e.g. Golden Glory F1, Partenon F1, Perfect Pick F1, etc.), cucumbers (e.g. Monika), tomatoes (e.g. Legend, Siletz, Santiam, Oroma, Saucy, Golden Nugget, Sub Arctic Plenty), and peppers (Planet F1), at least. Parthenocarpic plants don't require pollination to set fruit (but they do need pollination to produce seeds).

Some cucumbers are both parthenocarpic and gynoecious (they grow only female flowers, which don't need pollination unless you want seeds).

Another tip is to give your plants plenty of sun. Bees like plants with sun.

If there has been much smoke in your area from the fires, that might have bothered the bees. Just a guess.

Make sure the soil has enough organic matter and nutrients, too. Squash may not set fruit if there are issues with the soil, light, etc.

Bees need more than just the correct plants. They need nesting areas, too. Many native bees are ground nesting, so need bare ground and/or old rodent nests to inhabit. Thee are instruction on building nests for ground bees as well as Mason Bee houses all over the web. It sounds like you have appropriate flowers, but nesting sites could help.

Martha

Sonni its always great to read a post where someone wants to encourage a natural habitat for bees. :).

Habitat, shelter (mentioned), water supply and food source

Small water features with sticks or stones so that anything that falls in can climb out. Ladybirds will be attracted too. Especially if where you live is hot.

All the herbs left to flower which are pretty low maintenance you could plant them around your veggies. My herb patch is always buzzing. I've read bees particularly like blues, purples and yellow blossoms, so I planted herbs like purple oregano different sages, thymes, basil etc, but they seem to go just as crazy for everything else. Herbs are easy and you can eat them as well.

Up until last year I had plenty of bees. I don't know why they are gone. I don't use pesticides other than targeted efforts at fire ants and emerging lubbers. I will set up some small water features around the bee friendly plants. There should be ample nesting sites. Perhaps one or more of the following situations has caused the decrease? Hurricane, mosquito spraying, unseasonably cool temperatures, unusually dry summer, unusually wet fall and winter. Would it be advisable to purchase for a "box" of bees? To look for a beekeeper who would temporarily relocate a hive to my place?

Hi Sonni,

Unfortunately there is a worldwide decline in bees. Google colony collapse disorder or NNI's (a pesticide now banned in Europe).

Where are you based? US? Do a search for your state and bee decline.

Pesticides, herbicides, habitat loss, extremes in climate, along with new diseases, pests, bacteria have all contributed/are contributing to the decline.

Where I live there are plenty of bee keepers that will happily place hives on your property if it is suitable for bees (not near commercial farms who spray etc). They will come service the hive every so often and collect the honey.

There is probably a beekeepers society in your area, who would be a great resource of local information

Have there been any studies on the effects of mosquito trucks and herbicides on bees?

Good news! I've been seeing more bees lately. This morning while in the vegetable garden, even heard that loud buzzing when there are dozens of bees around - probably around the petrea blooms. Weather's warmed up, that's really been the only change.