Bees - Ask Extension
I live in Aloha , OR. And am wondering why this year , there are Bumble bees that are clustering on one side of the underside of leaves on my apple t...
Knowledgebase
Bees #808093
Asked August 26, 2022, 12:39 AM EDT
I live in Aloha , OR. And am wondering why this year , there are Bumble bees that are clustering on one side of the underside of leaves on my apple tree. I do have a picture of some , it was really impressive a couple of nights ago , but it was later in the evening.
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question, Jeanne. Bees will do this when the leaves are infested with aphids, and they leave honeydew that bees feed on.
Hi ! I looked at all the leaves and surrounding leaves...no aphids. The nights that the bees were on there were extremely hot . Tonight I looked and there are no bees at all.
I feel like maybe the hive was too hot ? Our back yard is looking like caliche. Cracks and all even with watering our garden and trees and plants. However tonight it is about 60 and there are none. ....
Maybe...
Jeanne
Caliche
I am uncertain how caliche applies to bees in Oregon. I can find no mention of it any regions north of New Mexico. https://pubs.nmsu.edu/bees/
Here is OSU information about honey bee hive temperatures: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/pollinators/how-help-bees-survive-heat-wave
Our bee experts are on vacation. Perhaps you can glean more information from them if the phenomenon persists next week.
Here is OSU information about honey bee hive temperatures: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/pollinators/how-help-bees-survive-heat-wave
Our bee experts are on vacation. Perhaps you can glean more information from them if the phenomenon persists next week.
