Tribe.net. Local Connections Freyamorganna http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#d98bcf43-56ff-42e5-914f-fdd81fe19628 2009-06-15T17:03:29Z 2009-06-15T17:03:29Z

So far I haven't noticed a lack of bees or butterflies here. My neighbor has an organic garden too so they have lots of incentive to hang around at our house. I have read that overall they are dying off and it isn't just the introduced bees, it's the native ones as well. There was a bee expert at the Earth Day Festival this year that said that of the 160+ native bees around the Sonoran Desert more than half of them are in a population decline and have been for the last 10 years and they just don't know why. It scares me big time! We just have to keep spreading the word on organic growing and most people will understand, when they take that first bite of 'real' fresh organic produce, that pesticides kill. -Freya

Freyamorganna 2009-06-15T17:03:29Z yadda yadda http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#26f7d15e-4281-4d05-8050-bea07dc36718 2009-06-15T16:24:52Z 2009-06-15T16:24:52Z

We have more bees and wasps than last year. Last night I actually saw a firefly. There's still too much crop dusting here but many farmers are planting cover crops to cut down on the herbicides.

yadda yadda 2009-06-15T16:24:52Z Chili http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#4669c257-e8dd-46b8-8507-80ddd9bceead 2009-06-15T15:38:45Z 2009-06-15T15:38:45Z

I've got tons of bees/flies/butterflies/songbirds/pollinators of various kinds. If you plant gardens *for* them, they will come.

Chili 2009-06-15T15:38:45Z Xiomara http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#4f599cc6-8b04-472e-a484-fafd1cfda445 2009-06-15T15:36:34Z 2009-06-15T15:36:34Z

I'd send you some if I could. I have a ton of bees wasps, butterflies, humming birds and etc in my yard. My two year old has had to learn the hard way that I wasn't kidding when I told him not to try and catch the bees when they are on the lavender plant because they sting. Oh well, that is how we all learn I guess. The bees are having problems though and I keep finding dead ones on the ground when we go for walks around the neighborhood. I was in a garden center not too long ago buying some rocks and I was walking through the plant section and I realized that I didn't see a single bee or wasp or bug of any sort on any of their plants. That thoroughly creeped me out! I would not buy any plant there for that reason.

Xiomara 2009-06-15T15:36:34Z pickerrick http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#78481825-7a46-450c-9002-f1c764286293 2009-06-15T12:46:18Z 2009-06-15T12:46:18Z

but the wasp too.,?and lack of butterflys.,this has got to hurt the bird population.,well.,.,im a worry wort.,good thing we have Wil around.,+

pickerrick 2009-06-15T12:46:18Z pickerrick http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#f01e0d93-529b-4487-97ed-48325ad9994d 2009-06-15T12:41:37Z 2009-06-15T12:41:37Z

thats good to know.,thanks.,i do feel a little better-Peace-

pickerrick 2009-06-15T12:41:37Z wil http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#2f5a7d1a-a60f-4349-bae2-51f7aa17fd33 2009-06-15T12:37:45Z 2009-06-15T12:37:45Z

Honey bees are not native here and have replace many hundreds of more specialized bees and pollinators since their introduction. They have been bread for productivity and docility for so long that they are like little holstien cows ( although i reckon that analogy lost on city folk), anyway i think they are genetically wimpy now and that is certainly a contributing factor to why they are susceptible to so many diseases and problems. The myriad specialized native pollinators generally do a much better job. They are making a nice comeback as the honeybees go.

wil 2009-06-15T12:37:45Z pickerrick http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/177b0938-b287-48fe-91dc-a54d1eb18818#a09c2530-f5ac-43a1-ba5f-e3f97ecccb92 2009-06-15T12:28:28Z 2009-06-15T12:28:28Z

hello tribers.,this is something that distresses me.,and you should be concerned about.,.,the pollinators are dissapearing.,.,the honey bees are vanishing.,butterflys are getting rare.,theres dead zones popping up .,just like our oceons.,.,ive noticed this here.,and others ive been in contact with.,especially the gulf coast.,could it be the analog signal or harp,whatevers causing this we better find out and do something now-- on we grow--

pickerrick 2009-06-15T12:28:28Z