Knowledgebase
No brown bees #866957
Asked May 03, 2024, 6:49 PM EDT
Lincoln County Oregon
Expert Response
If you live in an area that was affected by the wildfires, then feral honey bee colonies most likely burned.
If any of your neighbors had managed honey bee colonies and are no longer keeping bees that is another reason why you are not seeing them.
It might be weather related. This spring has had a lot of cold and wet days when honey bees in general are not flying. You might see more later in the summer.
Can bumblebees, Yellowjackets, and native bees adequately pollinate? The answer to that depends on the population density of the above mentioned bees. You could consider hosting mason bee nests. Here's an OSU publication, "Nurturing Mason Bees in Your Backyard in Western Oregon". Planning now will provide pollinator mason bees for next spring's fruit tree bloom.
Another thing you could do is plan your landscape to attract pollinators. OSU Extension has a great publication, "Enhancing Urban and Suburban Landscapes to Protect Pollinators". This is full of ideas on how to manage your landscape in such a way as to provide food, shelter, and water for pollinators. It's a wonderful publication.