My Thornless Honey Locust tree and overgrown Burning Bush both have tons of bees. My Catmint has had very little activity so far though, about the same as you, one per plant. Still early though, I'm sure they'll be coming soon. At least I hope!

Aloha, Funny you should mention because I was just thinking about this today. I saw some when my peach tree bloomed but since then I haven't seen very many either. I have May Night salvia in bloom and a hardy geranium that they normally love and I have seen very few bees at either. I am not sure what's going on.

I was reading your post and thinking, “that’s strange, everything’s normal here,” but now that I’m thinking about it, I realize that I’ve seen lots of wasps, and lots of bumble bees, but not a large amount of honey bees. In fact just today I was noticing that my grass is getting long and the clover is blooming, and I was surprised that there weren’t more bees. But I don’t remember if they increased in number as the summer progressed last year, or what. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ll keep my eye out.

I suppose that we should think of honey bees as "domestic livestock." If there isn't a beekeeper nearby ... how wide of an area will a colony from a more distant hive cover?

I remember that it is about this time of year when they do show up in considerable numbers but there are usually some on dandelions. Weren't very noticeable if they were. The dandelion season has mostly drifted off in the spring breeze, at least, that yellow carpet just about everywhere has passed.

I'm curious when a new generation of workers emerge from the hive. Wikipedia says that the raising of broods begins in "early spring" and that from egg to bee takes 21 days. Of course, there has to be time for daycare, k-12 and vocational training .... yeah, it might be that there are 2018 bees out there about now.

A honey bee was in the backyard this morning but I only saw one. Certainly, they have plenty of flowers to choose from even if the dandelion blooms are fewer and farther between.

Steve

I have seen very few honeybees in my garden in Fort Collins. The numbers at my parents' house in Boulder seem to be more normal though.

I have noticed it too and it breaks my heart. I've turned my yard into a sanctuary for butterflies, bees, birds birds…..but i have seen about nada

Lots of bees on the mustard the other morning: we are in the central CO mountains.

I don’t know if videos play well on this site but it made me so happy to see these guys out and about, I thought I'd try and share.