A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Ground nesting bees

As my precious baby cucumbers burst from the soil, something chewed them down. All of them. Every. Last. One. I replanted and again, they eagerly sprouted only for half of them to be eaten down again. On the verge of insanity and total rage, I set out a pinwheel and cups over-turned onto posts that rattled with the wind and replanted some for a third time. I was sure this was a bunnies doing, and if this didn't work then I was off to buy a gun. :mad:

Well, eventually the eating slowed down and I had assumed my great trick worked. I was very proud of myself. Although some leaves were still being chewed on, it was nowhere near the previous devastation.

Then today, out watering, I saw it.

A weird colored bee flitting right by me, with a HUGE honking piece of MY cucumber leaf in it's grubby little black claws. I watched it, incredulous. It flew around me twice (mocking me, I'm sure) and then flew into a hole in the mulch at the base of an untouched cantaloupe plant. I immediately stuck my hose on top of the hole and flooded and flooded and flooded it. Too bad my soil is almost all sand and everything goes straight through.

I angrily stomped inside and started to investigate so that I could educate others. There are very evil bees out there called ground-nesting bees (and wasps) and they live solitary lives, building 1-bee apartments in the soil and, apparently, mulch. They cut up precious, beloved leaves to wrap around their eggs. (If you don't believe me, click here)

Now, I know I've complained of a no-pollination, lack-of-bee problem, but this is not the solution I wanted! What is the point of pollinators if they're killing the plants they are supposed to pollinate? if only I were a drinkin' girl...

No way! I never knew!

Well, like most things in life, I think you should try and see the positive. It's all part of nature. Take a deep breath and relax. A lot of people feed wild birds, a few feed wild animals, but I don't know of anyone who feeds wild bees on cucumber leaves!! You're special!

My big brothers used to say that, but I think they meant it in a slightly more derogatory way.

I'm going to let the bees stay because they do still pollinate. Can't have bees much closer than underneath the plants they need to pollinate.

That's good- bees are great! And, I dont know if it's true, but I have heard that if all of the bees died out, within five years the human race would too, as they're responsible for around 80 per cent of all pollination. Here in London this winter, about 4,000 hives — two-thirds of the bee colonies — died this winter. So maybe it's starting to get a little bit beyond the theoretical!

I agree that groundbees are nasty little creatures (they ended up in the compost pile once.... we didn't know until we dug in the pitchfork & ended up with multiple stings) but with the current bee situation, I guess you're stuck bearing with them. At least the 'lopes should be good!