Question: I haven’t seen any bees in my yard this year. Why not? I’m afraid my vegetables and fruit won’t get pollinated. Do I have a reasonable concern?
Answer: It is true that bee populations of all species have been in decline for the past thirty years. However, there are redundant pollinator systems in the environment. If honey bees are not present, other native bees are accomplished pollinators and can readily meet the need. At this time, I doubt that you will have a pollination problem in your Galloway garden. Where bees are frequently in short supply are in the large commercial plantings can require up to millions of bees. Unless the population decline of all bees is halted (or at least slowed), future home gardeners may begin to notice declining vegetable and fruit set. I don’t sense the time is here yet.
But having said all of that, pollinator populations vary from year to year. Some seasons have a greater, healthier population while another year may show reduced populations. Temperatures, rainfall, pesticides, and diseases are some of the reasons for these natural variations. Unless you are a commercial producer with many acres of production, I feel that your plantings will be okay. But I can only guess.
